Hospital officials reported that several people were hurt in a plant explosion in Iowa on Thursday, where firefighters are still battling a sizable blaze.
According to Iowa State Trooper Bob Conrad, who spoke with ABC News, no fatalities were recorded as a result of the explosion at the facility in Marengo, which is located about 25 miles southwest of Cedar Rapids.
He added that all 30 people who were present when the incident occurred had been located.
According to Dr. Theresa Brennan, chief medical officer for the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics, ten to fifteen persons were hurt in the incident, with the majority falling into the “mild to moderate injury range.”
According to them, just one of the patients had the kind of severe injury that characterizes a mass casualty scenario, Brennan added.
Multiple people were injured in an explosion at a plant in Iowa on Thursday, December 8, as crews continue to battle a massive blaze in the incident.
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According to ABC Cedar Rapids station KCRG, footage captured by a drone showed firefighters battling a massive fire at the plant, which according to property records is a facility for crushing soybeans.
Anyone who had been evacuated due to the fire was advised by the local sheriff’s office to go to the Iowa County Transportation building or otherwise remain indoors.
On social media, the Iowa County Sheriff’s Office posted that “a sizable fire is being fought.” NO SIGHT SEEING, PLEASE!
In light of the fire, city officials also advised people to stay away from the 800 block of East South Street.
On Thursday morning, locals said they heard a huge “boom.”
Sam Murphy told KCRG, “I’d seen all the ambulances and whatnot moving, and the fire engines and I’d noticed the smoke right away.” I then went to the Big G to get some supplies for them, including water.
Anthony Schropp confirmed to KCRG that he was among those told to leave the plant’s near vicinity. At the time, he was working three blocks away from the plant.
We heard the explosion, and it shook our building, he informed the channel. At the shop, we believed that someone had driven into our garage door.
The fire is still burning, according to Trooper Conrad, although it is “down” from where it was, he added on Thursday night. The state fire marshal can launch an investigation into the cause after the fire has been put out.
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