Major sugar plant explosion in GA; 3 dead, 3 missing

[Brent]

(CNN) -- Dozens of people were injured -- at least 30 of them critically -- in an explosion at a sugar refinery near Savannah, Georgia, Thursday evening, a hospital official said.

Police and medical officials say the blast at Imperial Sugar in Port Wentworth happened at about 7 p.m.

At least one witness estimated that 200 people were injured in the explosion.

By 9:30 p.m., about 30 workers from the plant were being treated at Memorial Health University Medical Center in Savannah with critical wounds.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/02/07/sugar.plant.explosion/

[Brent]

3 Confirmed Dead In Sugar Plant Explosion
Officials Suspect Sugar Dust As Cause

PORT WENTWORTH, Ga. -- Georgia's top fire official said firefighters have found three bodies in a still-burning sugar refinery near Savannah.

He also said they think they know the location of three others believed killed in an explosion last night.

State Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John Oxendine said the three bodies were found in tunnels beneath the building.

But local authorities said they haven't heard of any bodies being recovered, and aren't confirming the deaths.

Earlier reports had confirmed that six bodies had been found.

A county police sergeant said crews are "still going through the rubble."

Savannah-Chatham Police Chief Michael Berkow said Friday that rescue efforts had shifted from a rescue to a recovery operation because the building is too unstable for firefighters to enter.

Michael Notrica, spokesman for Memorial University Medical Center in Savannah, said 33 people were brought there from the plant explosion Thursday night. Of those, seven were treated and released and 19 were flown to a burn center in Augusta. Seven people remained in the Savannah hospital Friday in serious or critical condition, Notrica said.

Hospital officials in Augusta told WJXT-TV in Jacksonville that most of the patients were on ventilators. They issued a plea for blood to assist their efforts.

http://www.wsbtv.com/news/15249582/detail.html

[Ptarmigan]

My condolence to the families who lost loved ones.