5 Now Dead, 2 Missing After Chocolate Factory Explosion

WEST READING, PA — Two more people were found dead Sunday morning as crews continued to search the rubble of a chocolate factory explosion in West Reading, bringing the death toll to five, according to authorities.

Police disclosed Sunday's first death at a press conference. West Reading Mayor Samantha Kaag confirmed to the Associated Press that the second body found Sunday — and fifth found overall — was discovered later in the morning and that two people were still missing.

“We’re still hopeful to at least get some answers and get some recoveries,” Kaag said at the press conference, recorded by WGAL 8, as search efforts entered a third day. “Honestly it’s just a holdout for hope.”

The blast erupted just before 5 p.m. Friday at the R.M. Palmer Co. plant about 60 miles northwest of Philadelphia. One person was pulled alive from the rubble, but the death toll rose Saturday with the discovery of a third body at the site. At least 10 people were injured.

Officials said dogs and imaging equipment were being used to look for signs of life during the careful removal of debris. The blast destroyed one building and damaged a neighboring structure, moving it four feet forward. Roadways near the site will be closed until 8 a.m. Monday.

Kaag issued an emergency declaration and Gov. Josh Shapiro visited the site Saturday.

The company, which has been a fixture of West Reading for over 70 years and has 850 local employees, said the plant would remain closed and inaccessible as R.M. Palmer worked to restore disabled phone and computer systems.

“We have always viewed our employees as family, and are focused now more than ever on providing any support we can to you and the families of employees directly affected by this tragedy,” said the company in a message to workers, adding it had established a crisis hotline and would be offering grief counseling to employees.

Frank DeJesus said his stepdaughter, Arelis Rivera Santiago, a Palmer employee, was working in the building next door at the time of the blast. The ceiling caved, and she had to crawl under machinery to make it out, he said. DeJesus said he rushed to the scene to find her "shaking and crying hysterically," and she was still too shaken to speak about what had happened.

Plant employees, including his stepdaughter, had complained about smelling gas throughout the day Friday, DeJesus said.

"Everyone complained about smelling gas, and they kept making them work," he said. "The supervisors told them it was nothing. It was being taken care of."

A UGI Utilities spokesperson said crews were brought in after damage from the blast led to the release of gas that was helping to feed the fire.

"We did not receive any calls regarding a gas leak or gas order prior to the incident. But we are cooperating with the investigation and part of that will be to check all our facilities in the vicinity," UGI spokesperson Joseph Swope said Saturday.

Frank Gonzalez stood on a hill overlooking the blast site, watching the rubble being cleared. He said his sister, Diana Cedeno, was working at the plant at the time of the blast and was among the missing.

”It's not good. It's just stressful waiting, not knowing," he said, expressing frustration at what he perceived as a lack of communication from authorities about the search. "We keep reaching out, bugging, keeping her name alive just in case she is in there and says her name.

He said his sister has two adult children, including a son who is deployed overseas. She has a side job decorating for parties and has also been studying for the ministry at her church, he said.

Gonzalez said his son and nephew had also worked at the plant, but that his son had quit a few months ago "because he said he didn't like the smell of the gas that was in there." His son and nephew had complained about the smell to plant supervisors, who told them, "'It's all right. We got it. It's being handled. Don't worry about it,'" he said.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.