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Imprettystrong t1_jduunfn wrote

Pretty intense explosion. I’ll be watching this for a cause or reason as to how this happened. But I’m putting my finger on deregulation. Since profits matter way more than anything else in the US, like making sure your facilities don’t explode.

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callingcarg0 t1_jduxqge wrote

My girlfriends mom works/worked there. She wasn't there on the day it happened so she's fine, but the current theory going around is apparently a gas leak.

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Grashopha t1_jdvbzov wrote

My first thought was a gas explosion. Happens way more often than people would think. About 286 per year, or just under 1 gas explosion per day.

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ronreadingpa t1_jdwh7fr wrote

Not just factories either. The Wyomissing Post Office was destroyed in 1979 by a natural gas explosion.

https://berksnostalgia.com/wyomissing-post-office-explodes/ (great site by the way)

While not a fan of places outlawing gas, it does have some benefits. All-electric is safer. For manufacturing, electricity is often a viable replacement, but requires different equipment and processes. So can't fault companies sticking with what they have and know.

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Grashopha t1_jdwif2k wrote

Happens to houses a good deal too. I remember one exploding in York many years ago and one just exploded in Harrisburg in December.

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SneedyK t1_jdyqvi7 wrote

Man, I’m starting to get a complex about all these buildings that explode in wyomissing/Reading area.

Would anyone hazard a guess if it’s safe for me to go see my doctors? Or shit, idk. Maybe the hospital’s due for an explosion by this point.

Kinda interested to know if anyone reading along here knows any specialists that perform surgical procedures out on a nice, sunny green lawn! May means it’s time for my colonoscopy/endoscopy checkup again.

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NurseVooDooRN t1_jdva89c wrote

Reports from employees are saying that they complained of smelling gas on the day it happened. They said the reported it and were told it was being worked on. The Gas company is saying they were not notified.

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shakenbk t1_jdvm971 wrote

The concept of reporting a gas leak and the gas company being like “it’s cool, you can continue to work” is insane. Anyone who has ever reported a gas leak knows the moment you can smell gas they tell you to get the fuck out.

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NurseVooDooRN t1_jdvmkcz wrote

The gas company has said that they were not notified of a leak or the smell of gas. It was the Plant management that told employees that it was being handled. How it was being handled is anyone's guess at this point.

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shakenbk t1_jdvqnwr wrote

That’s what I’m implying - plant management is going to have some explaining to do if this is true

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axeville t1_jdvxdpl wrote

"We put it on the clipboard of things that need to be budgeted for fixing"

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Dismal-Radish-7520 t1_jdwil2z wrote

People are quoted as saying that people had to go outside from time to time because the smell was so bad. One dude they interviewed (I think Reading Eagle) said he went out to get fresh air and stopped mid-way to where he was walking and the explosion happened in front of him. He said if he kept walking, he may have died. Maybe some dramatic flair for clicks but still completely believable. Absolutely terrifying.

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radiowave911 t1_jdxefwx wrote

I saw the same article. Forget where, exactly. I noticed on Saturday several places had effectively the same articles. You can tell who uses the same news services :)

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ronreadingpa t1_jdwj1ds wrote

If true, not evacuating is inexcusable. Likewise, with not turning off the gas to building 2. Would have lost some production, but better than the entire structure blowing up plus damaging building 1 too.

WFMZ 69 coverage is decent, but notice they've been disabling comments on some of the related articles. Maybe afraid of ruffling the wrong feathers. That's the issue with small-time news media. Trust WPVI 6 and WGAL 8 coverage more along with posts here on Reddit from people actually involved, but I digress.

In time the truth will come out. Most likely a natural gas leak, but could have been more complicated than that. Maybe a boiler explosion due to some fault releasing gas to atmosphere, which would have similar results.

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ewyorksockexchange t1_jdux2f4 wrote

My bet is on a dust explosion. Look up Imperial Sugar to see how devastating those kind of explosions can be. The root cause is typically poor housekeeping and process engineering, creating an environment where airborne dust reaches a combustible concentration in a closed space and finds an ignition source.

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Susbirder t1_jduyri2 wrote

Yep. And nearly any atomized substance can be explosive. In this environment, sugar, powdered milk, cocoa, and a host of other materials could have been suspended sufficiently to trigger the blast.

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ronreadingpa t1_jdwjs4p wrote

Doubt it. Takes a lot of dust to explode that violently. Not saying it's not possible, but seems highly unlikely for what they made there. Probably a gas explosion. Either directly from accumulated gas or a boiler that experienced a fault releasing gas that led to explosion.

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yourgravityfails t1_jdzi5is wrote

From what I understand no candy was manufactured in that facility . They packaged there and there were some offices .

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Limp-Replacement1403 t1_jdv6emq wrote

I have a former employee that worked at a chocolate factory not far from here. He said that there’s so much dust and small particles in the air he wouldn’t be surprised if one foul spark set it all off

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Relax007 t1_jduxaop wrote

I can’t help but wonder if corners were being cut due to ramped up production from Valentines to Easter.

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30686 t1_jduyqa9 wrote

One report I saw, maybe the Reading Eagle, said the Easter production rush was over, most Easter candy essentially having already been shipped to their customers.

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Relax007 t1_jdv3tk3 wrote

That makes sense. Easter is really close.

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namvet67 t1_jdv92hr wrote

I worked at a distribution center for another company, but l will bet the Easter candy was made 4-5 months ago. Go to any grocery store or national drug chain they have that stuff on the shelves months in advance. I know where l worked they will start shipping “ back to school “ by the end of April or at least have a lot of it picked and staged.

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Relax007 t1_jdvc0qv wrote

Yeah, I know it’s out early, I just didn’t know when it stopped being made. Hell, I’ve already seen Mother’s Day flowers and balloons. Which is confusing since they will be long dead and deflated before May.

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SaffronsTootsies t1_jdvgw32 wrote

I really wish companies would stop pushing crap out so early for all of the holidays. I feel like it takes away from the anticipation when Halloween stuff is out in August. Plus the rush for Christmas every year just makes me anxious. It’s like they’re threatening you in the commercials. “You know… CHRISTMAS is right around the corner waiting for you!”

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HogwartsKate t1_jdylhfw wrote

Used to work for Palmer. They make the choc 9 to 12 mos before the holiday and store it. The rush is to get product before heavy heat temps in summer when they do layoffs.

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namvet67 t1_je07al3 wrote

I know, so many people think you make Easter candy 3 weeks before Easter. I know you guys make it then store it for a while then it goes to a warehouse somewhere then to Giant or Rite Aid then to their back rooms and then on to the shelf.

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ScrappBrannigan t1_jduwpo3 wrote

Old building that utilities probably refused to upgrade and we’re never forced too. It’ll be interesting to hear what actually happened for sure.

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