Dozens were feared injured or dead in a massive explosion at a new power plant in Connecticut today that shook nearby towns like an earthquake.
The Kleen Energy Plant, being built in the college town of Middletown, is reported to have blown up during the first test of its natural gas-fired generating system.
Flames were seen shooting from a pipeline as a fireball lit up the sky and a huge plume of smoke hung over the scene.
Officer Kevin White of the Middletown police said there were mass casualties. Rescue personnel said that at least two people were confirmed dead and 100 feared injured.
There are bodies everywhere, a witness told the Hartford Courant newspaper.
A fire brigade official said that 51 construction workers were believed to be on the site at the time of explosion at 11:17 am local time.
Victims were feared to have been buried in the rubble when the rear of the largest building on the site collapsed.
A woman identifying herself only as Kathi wrote on the website of the local Middletown Press: My husband is on that job site and was on that crew till last week. Thankfully he was home. Both his brothers were there and are OK. We know of at least three dead so far.
The 620-megawatt power plant,on the bank of the Connecticut River about two miles from Middletowns city centre, was due to go online this summer.
Kleen Energy Systems received approval to generate 520 megawatts enough electricity for 364,000 to 520,000 households in November 2002. In 2006, the company sought approval from the Connecticut Siting Council to be able to produce 620 megawatts, enough for 434,000 to 620,000 homes.
Gerald Daley, a member of the Middletown Common Council, said it was the first day that the gas-fired power plant was being tested.
I heard the explosion, he said. It shook our house. Al Santostefano, the deputy fire marshal, said the explosion was related in some way to natural gas but that the precise cause remained under investigation.
He told reporters that the blast appeared to haveoccurred when operators attempted a blow down of natural gas pipelines to clear the gas.
It was a massive explosion, he said. Its possible that there might be people trapped in the rubble. There was a lot of steel, from what I could see.
Bernadette Nyland, who was playing outside with her dogs when she heard the explosion, told WTNH television: They were doing the firing of the engines this morning and so something went wrong and it blew up and flames came shooting up almost as tall as that stack.
Residents of towns as far away as East Haven, 30 miles from the plant, reported feeling a blast.
I felt the ground shake and thought a tree had fallen nearby, said Ethan Goller, who was working in his garage in Ivoryton, 20 miles from Middletown.
Parishioners at the nearby East Hampton church interrupted their Sunday service fearing an earthquake.
Darren Kramer of local News Channel 8 television said on Twitter that he was outside in North Guilford when he heard the explosion. Sound was huge and low. Lasted several seconds. Assumed sonic boom.
A woman named Jennifer said via Twitter, First thought was earthquake or huge gust of wind whole house shook, very brief but powerful More than 100 firemen rushed to the fire along with scores of ambulances and several helicopters. At least seven ambulances were seen leaving the plant without their sirens on - possibly transporting bodies.
The Red Cross was setting up a counselling centre for victims families in the council chambers at Middletown City Hall.
