Rachel Ray’s Magnificent Ass
Power Plant Explodes in Middletown, Connecticut
Sunday, February 7, 2010 
Kleen Energy Plant, Google Maps
This can’t be good:
We’re hearing reports of an explosion of a gas line by the Kleen Energy plant on River Road. All of Middletown’s fire departments are working at the scene, and Durham, Middlefield, Portland and Cromwell fire departments have been called in to assist.
There are reports of numerous casualties.
Four ambulances and a Life Star helicopter have been called to the scene. Most of River Road has been blocked off. Flames were shooting out of a pipeline at one point, but the gas line has now been shut off.
The incident, which happened around 11:30 a.m., shook most homes in Middletown and as far as Portland.
I’ve tried to ascertain if that is, in fact, the plant in question that I’ve included above. It probably doesn’t look like that, as it has been under construction for several years.
UPDATE 12:49 PM: Many people in the Middletown area reported feeling the blast; I have tried to look at the Middletown Press website, but, as of 12:49 PM, the website is [temporarily] overwhelmed.
UPDATE 12:52 PM: The comment thread on the news story here tells the story better than anything—many of the town’s firefighters are on site, and the building housing the power plant is believed to have completely exploded.
Catherine Avalone | The Middletown Press 2.7.10 Fire departments from surrounding towns respond to an explosion with casualties occured late morning at the Kleen Engergy plant on River Road in Middletown.
Workers at a power plant under construction were purging natural gas lines when a powerful explosion blew off part of the building Sunday, killing five people and injuring at least 12, officials said.
Middletown Mayor Sebastian Giuliano confirmed the known deaths and injuries in a news conference on Sunday. He said it is unclear how many people were working in the area of the blast and the numbers are preliminary.
Al Santostefano, the deputy fire marshal in Middletown, said 50 construction workers were in the section of the power plant where the explosion happened at 11:17 a.m. He said he did not know what caused the explosion.
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Reader Comments (2)
more than 50 ppl have been [she said "expired" but I believe she means injured--NR], It's unclear how many injuries there are but police say there are possible fatalities. many injuries http://usspost.com/connecticut-blast-causes-mass-casualties-usspost-5187/
This was a very unfortunate event. Only 5 people died contrary to the some reports that there were 50. Still, very sad but better than 50. Until now I could not imagine the magnitude of the blast. Our prayers for the victims and their families.