A large explosion at a chocolate factory in West Reading, Pennsylvania, Friday has left multiple people dead and several missing. Video from the scene shows flames and black smoke billowing hundreds of feet into the air as firefighters put out the blaze.
The death toll is uncertain as of Saturday morning. West Reading police chief Wayne Holben and mayor Samantha Kaag said in a news conference that there were two people dead and five people missing. One person was found alive overnight, Kaag said. The Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency told CBS News that five people were dead and six were missing, numbers that Kaag said were"not accurate.
When asked for clarification, PEMA again said that the agency had received reports of five deaths and six missing people. "It is really important to note that incident reports from counties are a snapshot in time of the understanding of the incident at the time the report was made," the agency said. "Updates on recovery efforts will be provided as more information becomes available," he added.
In addition, Reading Hospital received a total of eight patients, a hospital spokesperson told CBS News on Friday night and West Reading officials confirmed on Saturday. One was transferred to another hospital, two were in fair condition, and the other five were expected to be treated and discharged, the spokesperson said.
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