State, local police, and fire officials set up a temporary emergency response staging area on River Road in Middletown, Conn., on Sunday, Feb. 7, 2010, after an explosion at a nearby power plant Sunday morning. (THE ASSOCIATED PRESS/George Ruhe)
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State, local police, and fire officials set up a temporary emergency response staging area on River Road in Middletown, Conn., on Sunday, Feb. 7, 2010, after an explosion at a nearby power plant Sunday morning. (THE ASSOCIATED PRESS/George Ruhe) |
HAMILTON, Ont. - U.S. authorities say a Canadian is among five people killed in an explosion at a power plant under construction in Middletown, Conn..
The powerful explosion blew apart large swaths of the nearly completed 620-megawatt Kleen Energy plant as workers were purging a gas line Sunday morning. Roy Rushton of Hamilton, Ont., was killed in the explosion, along with Peter Chetulis of Thomaston, Conn.; Ronald Crabb of Colchester, Conn.; Raymond Dobratz of Old Saybrook, Conn., and Chris Walters of Florissant, Mo.
U.S. authorities looking for the cause of the explosion launched a criminal investigation Monday, saying they could not rule out criminal negligence as the cause.
More than two dozen people were injured in the blast. Hospital officials said most were treated and released.
Middletown Mayor Sebastian Guiliano says rescue crews have been unable to get to all areas of the plant and he could not say for certain that no more victims would be found.