Pennsylvania Candy Factory Explosion: Missing Employees Found

The R.M. Palmer candy factory, located in West Reading, Pennsylvania, has been responsible for making some of the most popular Easter candies in America, next to other novelty seasonal treats, since the late 1940s. But according to the Associated Press (via ABC 27 News), tragedy struck the candy plant on March 24 just before 5:00 p.m., when a large explosion caused two employees to lose their lives, as many others remained unaccounted for amidst the aftermath. During the search and rescue mission for the missing employees, another employee was discovered alive among the piles of leftover rubble.

While initially the exact number of fatalities had been misreported, as of early March 25, two people had been confirmed dead and five remained missing. As of March 26, the bodies of all seven missing employees had been found, per CBS News.

The blast of the explosion was severe enough to cause exterior damage to neighboring buildings, including an apartment complex and alarm the community at large. (The cause of the accident has yet to be determined.) The neighboring community banded together to help sift through the debris to find the remaining employees. The West Reading police department instilled the help of search and rescue animals, as well as special imaging technology.

On March 25, West Reading police chief Wayne Holben told the small Pennsylvania community via CBS News Philadelphia, "I want to assure you all that we will not rest until every single person affected by this tragedy has been accounted for." WGAL confirmed that a third person had been discovered overnight on March 25, with another found early March 26. Both victims had not survived.

With the help of the community, the West Reading police department, highly trained canine companions, and heat-sensitive technology, the remaining lost employees were found throughout the remainder of the day on March 26. Due to the severity of the March 24 explosion, those found on March 25 and 26 were deceased. 

While the death toll resulted in seven fatalities, 10 others were also admitted to a local hospital for injuries related to the explosion. Now that the search has ended, West Reading mayor Samantha Kaag is committed to consoling those who lost loved ones while working with the local police department to find the cause of the explosion. R.M. Palmer also released a statement expressing its condolences to those who lost family members and friends in the horrific tragedy. The company has also provided a crisis hotline for grief counseling for those affected by the explosion, and the chocolate plant is currently closed.