Blast at feed processor kills 2, injures 10
by Josh Funk THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
All 38 of the workers in the building at the time had been accounted for, so the death toll is not expected to grow
OMAHA, Neb.—An explosion that brought down part of an animal feed processing plant in Omaha on Monday morning killed two people and seriously injured 10 others, authorities said.
The search for bodies in the crippled International Nutrition plant progressed slowly Monday and had to be suspended in the evening. Omaha Police Lt. Darci Tierney said all 38 of the workers who were in the building at the time had been accounted for, so the death toll wasn’t expected to grow.
Officials said two workers died, 10 were hospitalized and seven were hurt but refused treatment. The other 19 workers escaped.
Authorities don’t know what caused the blast, but noted that there were no hazardous chemicals at the three-story plant. International Nutrition makes products that are added to livestock and poultry feed to make them more nutritious.
The second and third floors of the plant collapsed on top of the first floor as key structural supports failed. Firefighters rescued five men initially, including one that had to be cut out of the debris.
The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration will determine the cause of the accident, but the investigation could take weeks.
The plant sits in an industrial area of Nebraska’s largest city. There are no residences nearby and no other buildings were evacuated after the explosion.
