According to local media, an explosion at a chocolate factory in the US state of Pennsylvania resulted in the deaths of two individuals and the disappearance of nine more.
According to local TV network WFMZ, the explosion at the RM Palmer Company plant in the Pennsylvanian West Reading borough happened before 5 p.m. local time (2100 GMT) on Friday.
Six people were taken to medical facilities in addition to the deceased and missing, Pennsylvania’s Emergency Management Agency informed WFMZ.
“(The factory) is pretty leveled, unfortunately. There’s not much they can salvage from the building,” said West Reading Mayor Samantha Kaag in a televised press conference.
“In the front, with the church and the apartments, the explosion was so big it moved that building four feet forward,” she added.
Television video showed firefighters attempting to put out a fire that had started in the explosion’s debris.
Authorities stated that they were still looking into what caused the explosion.
On its website, RM Palmer claims to have been making holiday chocolate confections since 1948, including Easter bunnies and Valentine’s Day candies in the form of hearts.
