Topic: 5 dead in explosion at West Reading chocolate factory

[Skhilled (OP)]

This happened shortly before I left work yesterday. As I was walking across the job's parking lot I could see the thick black smoke rising from it.

8 dead and 6 unaccounted for...

https://www.wfmz.com/news/area/berks/5-dead-in-explosion-at-west-reading-chocolate-factory/article_8a23064a-ca89-11ed-8b80-bf25e067fdf1.html

[Skhilled (OP)]

I'm getting conflicting reports. Most say 2 people confirmed dead, 5 still missing. There's a number of people injured. One was found alive and pulled from the rubble this morning!

https://www.wfmz.com/news/area/berks/person-pulled-alive-from-rm-palmer-rubble-in-west-reading/article_ec0d3a76-cb1d-11ed-a4fc-cf8af4ab0a0a.html

[Ken]

So sad to hear. Too many businesses placing profits before safety.

[Skhilled (OP)]

Yes, and the city code officials and OSHA are just letting them off the hook or not bothering to check them or getting paid to look the other way. Happens a lot around here and probably many other places.

Many I should start a change.org petition about this...

[Ken]

I can remember back in the day when OSHA was the Bad-Ass on the block, maybe not so much anymore I guess.

In the 70s while working in a feed mill maintenance department we received advance notice that they were coming in for some routine reviews of our safety programs and everyone was scared shitless, all the way from us at the bottom levels too the upper management dorks.

[Skhilled (OP)]

Yes, it "USED" to be that way. LOL Now they are a joke and more workers need to report thing. But at the job I was at for almost 20 years, if you called them they would come in and they to say they they would fine the workers and not company and saying it was our fault!

[Scrubmeister]

Why do you think this was company neglect?

Looks like a gas explosion? Could be a ruptured pipe?

[Skhilled (OP)]

I say it because that is exactly what happens around here. Neglect from the companies to save money and keep people working to make more money. I've worked for a few companies around here and it always the same thing. The buildings need repairs, workers who are not certified driving forklifts, management turning a blind eye to safety issues and concerns even when it's brought to their attention.

People around here who work at other jobs say the same things about their jobs. Pennsylvania is horrible in that regard...

[Skhilled (OP)]

While I was at the landromat this morning, I could heard a man and woman talking to each other who appeared to be neighbors and were talking it. The woman said she didn't hear the explosion but it shook her house. She also said for the longest time she would smell gas and would call about but no one did anything.

The man said he was just recently off from a job and then worked there and was also laid off from that place too. He said he thought he just couldn't catch a break. Then this happened and he was so happy he did get laid off because he would've been working there at the same time!

[Skhilled (OP)]

I just went to the wfmz site and it says 4th body recovered. I was just talking to Christina and she said a friend of her's has a cousin who works there and is missing. She's probably the last person unaccounted for...

EDIT: I've forgotten to mention that Christina also said a worker posted on Facebook that the workers kept complaining about the gas and management said "They are working on it". However, UGI (the local gas company) put out a statement saying that they never received any calls from the company about it. Stay tuned, I'm sure they'll be a big investigation and head will roll about this!

[Skhilled (OP)]

Before and after photos of the factory:

https://www.wfmz.com/news/area/lehighvalley/before-and-after-images-show-magnitude-of-west-reading-explosion/article_f62f34f4-cbfa-11ed-91cc-c7af42eada50.html

Sorry, but I got distracted and didn't notice the photos at first cause she has two very nice distractions! 

[Scrubmeister]

I would reserve judgement until the facts are known.

Gas has the ability to travel underground or pool in low places. The source (if a gas leak) could be almost anywhere.

Could be from old infrastructure. That is a major problem in many US cities. We have a lot of deficiencies in water, sewer, electrical grid, etc. here on the East Coast. Many of these systems were built over 100 years ago. 

[Skhilled (OP)]

That is true...especially around here but they know it's old and needs to be replaced but refuse to do any thing until something happens...very bad business!

Trust me, it's a common issue around here, unfortunately... Something is definitely wrong when people keep complaining and nothing is done until something bad happens. Same goes for the electric wiring and internet cabling. Everyone blames the other and nothing gets done until something goes wrong or something happens. We have very slow net because the net companies say it's the city's responsibility to upgrade it and the city says it's the net people's job to upgrade it. Personally, I think it's the net's responsibility...if they want to retain their customers. So, now they've started trying to get home/landline customers to go completely wireless so they won't have to upgrade the wiring because of the costs. They've even lowered the costs to sign up dramatically but I'm sure they will rise dramatically eventually. So, I've been looking at satellite options since companies are starting to do this but am still not sure which way to go. It's all a racket, if you ask me.

I've lived around here for almost 30 years and have family here forever. So, yes, I know what's going on.

[Ken]

Reminds me of a time back in the mid 80s when I worked for a company that did heavy machinery installs in cotton mill factories. We were working in Augusta Georgia in an old, (early 1900s) factory and while there a young, 20 something, man who was working in another part of the factory died.

Turns out it was his first day on the job and according to some of his fellow workers he kept complaining to the foreman that when he stood in the wet floor next to his machine his feet would tingle. The foreman told him to stop bitching and do his job... he did his job and it killed him.   

[Skhilled (OP)]

At my current job, they are very nice and helpful but... The building is very old, have holes in the walls and ceilings. They ladders we use are old and not very safe. Other wise, t's not a bad job. However, my previous jobs were horrible!

I know OSHA and city code violations because I was a supervisor off and on since I was 25 and refuse to do it anymore because of things like this. I don't want to grouped with people like that.