Three Missing After Explosion Rocks Nebraska Manufacturing Building

Three group wrong a Nebraska manufacturing building that partially collapsed successful an detonation remained missing Tuesday evening arsenic authorities tried to scope them.

Rescuers person been thwarted by nan authorities of nan mangled, warehouse-style building that appears to person been made of alloy and corrugated metallic walls, Fremont Fire Chief Todd Bernt said astatine a late-afternoon news conference.

A federally organized search-and-rescue task unit based successful Lincoln was responding to passageway done nan debris if basal and get to nan 3 aft Fremont authorities requested help, Bernt said.

Emergency vehicles extracurricular nan Horizon Biofuels Inc. successful Fremont, Neb., connected Tuesday.WOWT

"We are incapable to summation entree early on," nan main said. "We tried to get access, but conscionable owed to nan illness pinch nan mangled steel, we're incapable to get inside."

Asked astir nan position of nan three, nan main said they were unaccounted for. It wasn't clear if they were employees.

The blast was reported a fewer minutes earlier noon astatine nan location, wherever wood pellets for substance are made by Horizon Biofuels, Inc., authorities said. The institution besides makes pet bedding nether nan sanction Elkhorn Valley Animal Bedding, according to NBC connection WOWT of Omaha.

A interaction for Horizon Biofuels did not instantly respond to a petition for comment.

Horizon Biofuels Inc. successful Fremont, Neb.Dodge County Assessor via WOWT

Smoke roseate complete nan organization astatine nan confederate extremity of nan city, and nan occurrence was still smoldering and could proceed to do truthful for days, Bernt said.

City officials said drinking h2o was unaffected and aerial value was not dangerous, though residents downwind should debar breathing successful steaming air. Nebraska Department of Water, Energy, and Environment representatives did not instantly respond to a petition for comment.

Nebraska State Patrol responded to nan detonation and asked group to debar nan area, according to a statement. The origin of nan blast was nether investigation.

“We will proceed to intimately show nan detonation successful Fremont successful coordination pinch section responders, rule enforcement, and authorities partners," Gov. Jim Pillen said connected X. "Our thoughts and prayers are pinch each progressive — and we’re fresh to thief immoderate measurement we can.”