OMAHA, Neb. — An explosion Monday morning that brought down part of an animal feed processing plant in Omaha left two people dead and 10 others seriously hurt, authorities said.
The search for bodies in the crippled International Nutrition plant progressed slowly Monday, but the death toll wasn’t likely to get bigger.
Omaha Police Lt. Darci Tierney said Monday evening that all 38 of the workers who were in the building at the time had been accounted for.
Search-and-rescue experts worked into Monday evening to stabilize the building.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration will determine the cause.
But interim Omaha Fire Chief Bernie Kanger noted that there were no hazardous chemicals at the plant. International Nutrition makes products that are added to livestock and poultry feed to make them more nutritious.
Plant worker Nate Lewis, 21, said he was on the first floor when he heard the blast. The building went dark, so he used light from his cellphone to make his way across the production floor to safety outside.
“I was a production line worker, although I don’t know if I want to be that anymore,” Lewis said.
