Two girls under the age of 12 and an adult have been killed in a massive explosion at a Nebraska plant that left crews battling a fire for hours.
The explosion happened Tuesday at the Horizon Biofuels plant in Fremont. The plant makes animal bedding and wood pellets for heating and smoking food.
Following the explosion, Fremont Mayor Joey Spellerberg said three people remained in the building, and on Wednesday, officials announced their deaths.
Spellerberg said the girls had been waiting for a plant employee to finish work so they could go to a doctor’s appointment when the explosion occurred around noon local time.
“My heart hurts,” Spellerberg said. “It hurts for this situation, which is a tragedy. We pray for all the families involved.”
Authorities had said they were unable to get close enough to search for those missing, and the Fremont Fire Department told The Independent late Tuesday night there were still firefighters on scene.
Crews continued to fight smoldering flames Wednesday and said they still can’t safely enter the building.
Fremont Fire Chief Todd Bernt said first responders were up against “heavy smoke and a lot of flames” when they first arrived.
Bernt said firefighters believe the facility stores wood and some alcohol-based materials.
“We were unable to gain access early on. We tried to get access, but just due to the collapse with the mangled steel and we were unable to get inside at that point,” Bernt said, per KETV.
Dodge County Attorney Pamela Hopkins, who also serves as the county coroner, said law enforcement and first responders were busy securing the scene Tuesday afternoon and had not yet contacted her in her role as coroner.
She added that she was hoping not to get that call.
“Right now, we’re focused on the safety of the community and getting the situation under control — keeping the scene secure,” Hopkins said. She declined to comment further.
Governor Jim Pillen wrote on X Tuesday, “We will continue to closely monitor the explosion in Fremont in coordination with local responders, law enforcement, and state partners.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with all involved — and we’re ready to help any way we can.”
Fremont, a city of about 27,000 and the sixth-largest in Nebraska, is located 32 miles northwest of Omaha.
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