Three people inside a Nebraska manufacturing building that partially collapsed in an explosion on Tuesday night remained missing when the authorities tried to communicate with them.
Rescuers have been frustrated by the state of the building shattered in the warehouse style that seems to have been steel and corrugated metal walls, said Fremont firefighters, Todd Bernt, at a press conference at the end of the afternoon.
A search and rescue work group organized by the federal government based in Lincoln Tunnel through the debris if necessary to reach the three people, Bernt said.
“We cannot get access from the beginning,” said the boss. “We try to get access, but only due to collapse with shattered steel, we can’t enter.”
When asked about the state of the three, the boss said they were not counted. It was not clear if they were employees.
The explosion was reported a few minutes before noon in the place, where Horizon Biofuels, Inc. perform wooden granules for fuel, the authorities said. The company also makes pets for pets under the name of Animal Bedding Elkhorn Valley, according to the NBC Wowt affiliate from Omaha.
A contact for Horizon’s biofuels did not immediately respond to a request for comments.
The smoke rose above the community at the southern end of the city, and the fire still burned and could continue to do so for days, Bernt said.
The city officials said that drinking water was not affected and that air quality was not dangerous, although residents in favor of the wind should avoid breathing smoked air. The representatives of the Department of Water, Energy and Environment of Nebraska did not immediately respond to a request for comments.
The Nebraska state patrol responded to the explosion and asked people to avoid the area, according to a statement. The cause of the explosion was under investigation.
“We will continue to closely monitor the explosion in Fremont in coordination with local responders, the police and state partners,” said Governor Jim Pillen in X. “Our thoughts and sentences are with all those involved, and we are ready to help in any way we can.”
Austin Mullen and Matthew Mata contributed.
