3 Dead, 37 Injured in N.C.Explosion in U.S.

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, January 30, 2003

3 Dead, 37 Injured in N.C.Explosion in U.S.

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An explosion followed by a raging fire demolished a plastics factory in North Carolina,U.S. Wednesday, killing at least three people and injuring at least 37. Three others were feared missing in the burning ruins, which sent a black, acrid smoke billowing over the countryside.

There were conflicting reports on the number of casualties, but Gov. Mike Easley and Mayor Johnnie Mosley later said two deaths had been confirmed. The mayor also said three people were unaccounted for.

Plant manager Thomas Clagon appealed to workers to check in to help figure out who was still missing.

The cause of the thunderous blast at the West Pharmaceutical Services plant was not immediately known. The factory, which made syringe plungers and IV supplies, was cited for numerous safety violations last fall.

North Carolina is the site of one of the nation's worst workplace disasters: Twenty-four employees and a delivery man died and 56 people were injured in a 1991 fire sparked when hydraulic fluid from a conveyor belt sprayed over a gas-fired chicken fryer at Roe's Imperial Food Products plant in Hamlet.

Source: Agencies

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