31 Jul 2013

Gas plant explosion in Florida

10:02 am on 31 July 2013

At least eight people have been injured in a series of explosions at a gas plant in the US state of Florida, according to officials.

They were working at the Blue Rhino propane plant, in the town of Tavares, when the blasts began at about 11pm on Monday (local time), blowing the roof off.

The explosions continued for about an hour and caused a large fire. The cause of the initial blast is not yet known, the BBC reports.

Fifteen workers were found safe after initially being unaccounted for, while two others managed to escape unhurt.

A spokesman for the Lake County Sheriff's Office, John Harrell, said the missing workers had merely "scattered" when the explosions began and had since been contacted by their managers and emergency crews.

People living within 0.8km of the plant have been evacuated. However, Mr Harrell said emergency crews believed the fire had been contained and that there was no immediate danger to them.

Officials are investigating the blasts. There were an estimated 53,000 tanks at the plant at the time and Mr Herrell said the flames could be seen from up to 15km away.

Former plant supervisor Don Ingram told a local television station that Blue Rhino took in propane tanks used for home barbecues, cleaned them, checked their valves and refilled them.

About 4000 to 5000 tanks were refilled each night and were stacked on plastic pallets four or five high behind the filling station, he said.