US Chocolate Factory Blast Kills Several In Pennsylvania


By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News

pennsylvania map

WEST READING, USA (Worthy News) – At least three people died, and four were still missing after a suspected gas explosion destroyed a chocolate factory in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, authorities said.

In addition, some ten people were reported injured and hospitalized following Friday’s blast at the R.M. Palmer Company in the town of West Reading, 96 kilometers (60 miles) northwest of Philadelphia.

Among those injured was a woman discovered beneath the rubble of the destroyed factory complex, witnesses said.

The employee reportedly worked on the second floor and was found in the basement.

She was transported to a hospital, but it wasn’t immediately clear whether she remained in critical condition, according to officials involved in the operation.

Her rescue offered “hope of finding even more survivors,” said police chief Wayne Holben.

Holben added that rescuers were using sniffer dogs and equipment to find more people under the rubble after the blaze destroyed one building and damaged another.

“It’s pretty leveled,” Mayor Samantha Kaag said of the explosion site. “The building in the front, with the church and the apartments, the explosion was so big that it moved that building 4 feet forward.”

The fire brigade suggested that a gas leak may have caused the explosion but investigations were still ongoing.

The chocolate factory was founded in 1948 and employs about 850 people making it the largest employer in this town of roughly 4,000 people.

7
people are currently praying.

💡 Did you know? One of the best ways you can support Worthy News is by simply leaving a comment and sharing this article.

📢 Social media algorithms push content further when there’s more engagement — so every 👍 like, 💬 comment, and 🔄 share helps more people discover the truth. 🙌

Latest Worthy News

Austria Clears Way For More EU Sanctions Against Russia
Hamas Refuses to Commit to Disarmament, Floats 3–5 Year Truce as Mass Executions Shock Gazans
D.C. Leads Thousands Of ‘No Kings’ Protests Nationwide
U.S. Strike Kills Three Alleged Narco-Terrorists Linked to Colombian Rebel Group
No progress on funding as Trump cuts programs amid shutdown
Israel Renames Operation Iron Swords to “War of Revival” as Gaza Fighting Resumes
Trump Backs Down On Tomahawk Missiles For Kyiv In Talks With Zelenskyy
Vietnamese Christians Impacted As Typhoon Bualoi Kills Dozens Across Vietnam And Southeast Asia
Hungary Confirms Trump-Putin Summit In Budapest (Worthy News Radio)
Copyright 1999-2025 Worthy News. All rights reserved.

If you are interested in articles produced by Worthy News, please check out our FREE sydication service available to churches or online Christian ministries. To find out more, visit Worthy Plugins.

Worthy Christian News