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WAUKEGAN, Ill. (AP) – Three people are missing after the night blast and the fire of a silicone plant in Illinois are presumed dead, authorities said Saturday.
Waukegan Fire Marshal Steven Lenzi said the crews had suspended their searches for three employees due to concerns over the stability of the structure.
Lenzi said it was "unlikely" that anyone survived the Friday night explosion at AB Specialty Silicones in Waukegan, about 80 km north of Chicago. The coroner was on the scene and the teams classify the search as a recovery, he said.
"The conditions are very difficult there," said Lenzi. "There is a lot of damage, there was a lot of fire everywhere."
Nine employees were inside the factory when the explosion occurred. Four were taken to the hospital and two refused treatment. The authorities have not identified the employees.
Mr. Lenzi said that the cause of the explosion had not yet been determined and that it could be days before the crews could resume their searches because heavy pipes and other materials within the 30,000-foot structure pose a danger to firefighters and investigators.
He said that the factory operates normally 24 hours a day, mixing chemicals and other materials to make silicone.
The state's fire marshal conducts an investigation, as well as the administration of occupational safety and health.
Residents in the area said they heard the explosion and felt their homes tremble. Five nearby buildings were damaged and windows of windows and doors broke, Lenzi said.
Nancy Carreno, who lives near the factory, told The Chicago Tribune that the blast had not broken the windows but that she was noisy. She said that electricity flashed and then came back.
Lenzi said more than 100 firefighters from at least 30 departments had responded to the call.
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