State Police Still Investigating at Explosion Site: All Workers Accounted For

According to a phone inteview with Mayor Sebastian Giuliano, just moments ago, at the site of the Kleen Energy Plant explosion, State Police are still conducting an investigation to determine who had been on the site at the time of the accident, and who, if any are still unaccounted for.

"At the beginning of the day we had eight unaccounted for," Giuliano said.  "And now, all of those have been accounted for, so our casualty number remains steady."

When asked why it has been so difficult to account for workers on a site where sign-in is required, Giuliano speculated that many of the workers left after the incident without notification.  Today, many of those workers have reported in.

Giuliano said that City Hall has been fielding several reports of damages to nearby residences, and that O&G, the construction company, is taking reports of that damage.

Giuliano also advised residents with damage to contact their own personal homeowners insurance company.

The mayor said that investigations by federal officials will not begin until State Police relinquish control of the site after their investigation is complete.  He describes the site as "difficult."

"The sheet aluminum cladding is swinging in the wind, some of it hanging by a screw or two," Giuliano said.  "And we're getting gusts of 20 to 25 miles per hour.  So it's dangerous.  And there are piles of debris that are unstable."

Giuliano indicated that there will be a press conference at Council Chambers after 3 PM.