'Mass Casualties' in Connecticut Power Plant Blast

Updated: 9 minutes ago

Michelle Ruiz
Contributor

(Feb. 7) -- Authorities said a power plant explosion has killed at least two people and injured as many as 100 in the Hartford, Conn., suburb of Middletown Sunday.

"We had an explosion at our new Kleen power plant," said Middletown Police Officer Kevin White. He told AOL News there are "mass casualties."

White confirmed at least two people were dead. There were conflicting reports as to the number injured, with many news outlets saying as many as 100 were hurt in the explosion, four critically. Earlier, CBS afiliate WFSB-TV reported 250 injured. There are reports of people trapped under collapsed parts of the plant.


Richard Messina, Hartford Courant / AP
Ambulances arrive at the Kleen Energy Systems plant in Middletown, Conn., after Sunday's deadly explosion."There are bodies everywhere," a witness told the Hartford Courant newspaper. State police told the paper there were 50 workers inside the building at the time of the blast.

The gas explosion and fire occurred at around 11:30 am EST at the Kleen Energy Systems plant, a gas and oil plant under construction in Middletown. Authorities at the scene told Hartford's WTNH-TV that workers were doing a 'blow down' to clear gas from the lines when the explosion occurred

White said the local fire department was working to put out the fire. Gov. Jodi Rell approved the use of the urban search and rescue team to assist in the search and rescue operations.

Fire, police and emergency management personnel responded to the blast, with helicopters airlifting victims, according to Hartford's WTNH-TV, which also reported nearby homes were damaged.

Middletown resident Bernadette Nyland, who was in her yard when she heard the blast, told WTNH she saw "flames shooting up" in the direction of the plant. One Middletown woman who felt the boom described it via Twitter, saying, "First thought was earthquake or huge gust of wind--whole house shook, very brief but powerful."

I live in Connecticut... and apparently am living under a rock. Haven't heard about it...

Acrylic said:

well i think the story just broke. so maybe turn to your local news.

That's like 15 minutes from where my ex's family lives...9.8 miles according to Google maps.

yea i heard 2 people died, Does 2 deaths count as Mass Casualties ?
anyway sorry to heard about all that are hurt and the 2 that lost their lives

banks said:

Casualty means killed or wounded. It's a way for a news service to fluff up a number if they want it to sound big. If they want to minimize impact, they use a small number (just wounded or killed).