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RM Palmer

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RM Palmer Failed To Evacuate Employees Before Explosion, OSHA Claims (UPDATED) RM Palmer Failed To Evacuate Employees Before Explosion, OSHA Claims (UPDATED)
RM Palmer Failed To Evacuate Employees Before Explosion, Osha Claims (Updated) Note: This article has been updated with a response from RM Palmer.  Candy company RM Palmer failed to evacuate employees after some reported smelling natural gas before the deadly West Reading explosion in March, according to federal regulators.  The Occupational Safety and Health Administration said in a new report last week that the manufacturer "did not remove workers" from the plant "despite workers' concerns about what (was) later determined was a natural gas leak." The blast, which killed seven employees and laid waste to an entire borough block on March 24, was cause…

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by Mac Bullock
News
West Reading Factory Explosion Caused By Gas Leak From Cracked Pipe: NTSB West Reading Factory Explosion Caused By Gas Leak From Cracked Pipe: NTSB
West Reading Factory Explosion Caused By Gas Leak From Cracked Pipe: NTSB The deadly explosion at the RM Palmer chocolate factory in West Reading was the result of a fracture in an old natural gas pipe, according to a new report from the National Transportation Safety Board.  The blast, which killed seven employees and laid waste to an entire borough block on March 24, was caused by natural gas "leaking from a DuPont Aldyl A service tee that was installed in 1982," NTSB said.  "UGI exposed and retired the service line that was connected to this service tee in 2021 when they relocated the natural gas meter from the basement to the exterior of Building 2," investi…

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by Mac Bullock
News
NTSB Report Details Preliminary Findings In Deadly RM Palmer Explosion NTSB Report Details Preliminary Findings In Deadly RM Palmer Explosion
NTSB Report Details Preliminary Findings In Deadly RM Palmer Explosion Moments before the fiery explosion that killed seven people and injured nearly a dozen more at RM Palmer chocolate factory, workers smelled a peculiar scent: Rotten eggs. That odor was natural gas, according to the National Transportation Safety Board's newly-released findings on the West Reading explosion. As local authorities shifted their focus to cleanup management and community leadership, federal officials have continued to investigate the scene. The blast site, securing evidence, and interviewing witnesses, were all part and parcel of the NTSB report, released Tuesday, May 2. …

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by Mac Bullock
News
Seven Victims Of RM Palmer Explosion Identified Ahead Of Memorial Vigil Seven Victims Of RM Palmer Explosion Identified Ahead Of Memorial Vigil
Seven Victims Of RM Palmer Explosion Identified Ahead Of Memorial Vigil Authorities have identified the seven victims killed in the RM Palmer chocolate factory explosion last week in Reading. The victims were identified by the Berks County Coroner's Office in the Philadelphia Inquirer as: Xiorky "Chany" D. Nunez, 30, of Reading Susan H. Halvonik, 63, of Upper Providence Township Michael D. Breedy, 62, of Marion Township Diana M. Cedeno, 44, of Reading Judith Lopez-Moran, 55, of Reading Amy S. Sandoe, 49, of Ephrata, who was the HR director Domingo Cruz, 60, of Reading, who worked in the production department, per his obituary.  The manner and cause of death fo…

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by Mac Bullock
Police & Fire
West Reading Explosion: Death Toll Rises As Street Closures Announced West Reading Explosion: Death Toll Rises As Street Closures Announced
West Reading Explosion: Death Toll Rises As Street Closures Announced As investigators work to uncover the cause of the deadly explosion at a chocolate factory that rocked West Reading on Friday, authorities are shutting down affected streets until further notice.  RM Palmer chocolate factory on South 2nd Avenue erupted in a fiery blast at around 5 p.m. on March 24, Daily Voice reported. At a press conference late on Sunday, March 26, West Reading Police Chief Wayne Holben announced that two more victims had been located, bringing the death toll to seven.  One person was found alive in the rubble on Friday night, while at least ten victims were hosp…

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by Mac Bullock