Watch: Fremont officials say explosion at Horizon Biofuels plant now a ‘recovery effort’
LET’S LISTEN IN. LIVE EVERY EFFORT, AND WE BEFORE HERE. WE’RE OUT WITH THE FAMILY AND BE ABLE TO TALK WITH THEM. AND SO AGAIN, WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN WITH EVERY RESOURCE WE HAVE IN THIS SITUATION RIGHT NOW. SO WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO NOW TO KIND OF TALK ABOUT THE EFFORT AND ALL THE DIFFERENT GROUPS THAT ARE INVOLVED. I’LL BRING UP CARL NIELSEN FREMONT, RURAL FIRE CHIEF. THIS HAS BEEN A COORDINATION BETWEEN FREMONT RURAL FIRE AS WELL AS FREMONT FIRE AND A LOT OF OTHER MUTUAL AID PARTNERS. AND SO I THINK HE’D JUST LIKE TO TALK ABOUT WHAT WE’RE DOING ON THE FIRE SIDE, AND THEN WE’LL ALSO TURN IT OVER. ASHLEY ENGLER’S HERE WITH NEBRASKA TASK FORCE ONE TO TALK ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT HAS BEEN DONE TO ADDRESS THE STRUCTURE AND TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO GET IN THE BUILDING AND WHAT’S BEEN GOING ON THERE. SO, CARL, IF YOU WOULD MIND, COME UP. THANK YOU. CARL NIELSEN, FREMONT RURAL FIRE CHIEF, LIKE JOEY SAID, WE HAVE BEEN NONSTOP FIGHTING THE FIRE. IT’S BEEN ONGOING. THE BUILDING IS STILL ON FIRE. WE’RE TRYING TO START THE DELAYERING PROCESS THIS MORNING WITH HEAVY EQUIPMENT THAT WE’VE HAD MOBILIZED. IT’S GOING TO BE VERY SLOW. SO AS WE PEEL PIECES OFF, WE’RE GOING TO BE DOING FIRE SUPPRESSION AT THE SAME TIME AS AS THE SUCH. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK MAYOR FOR ALL OF THE STUFF THAT THE CITY HAS HELPED US WITH. I’LL GIVE YOU A LIST HERE OF ALL OF THE OTHER AGENCIES THAT HAVE BEEN HERE. WE’VE GOT FREMONT POLICE DEPARTMENT, FREMONT FIRE DEPARTMENT, SAUNDERS COUNTY SHERIFF, DODGE COUNTY SHERIFF, NEBRASKA STATE PATROL, NICKERSON FIRE DEPARTMENT, NORTH BEND FIRE DEPARTMENT, HOOPER FIRE DEPARTMENT, ARLINGTON FIRE DEPARTMENT, WATERLOO FIRE DEPARTMENT, VALLEY FIRE DEPARTMENT, CEDAR BLUFFS FIRE DEPARTMENT, SCRIBNER FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE FREMONT DEPARTMENT OF UTILITIES, THE FREMONT RURAL FIRE DEPARTMENT, AUXILIARY CITY OF FREMONT, AND MAYOR SPELLERBERG TASK FORCE ONE AND GOVERNOR’S OFFICE. AGAIN, IT’S IT’S ONGOING. WE’LL BE WE’LL BE ON SCENE UNTIL UNTIL WE’RE DONE. AS FAR AS THE TIMELINE GOES, NONE OF US HAVE ANY IDEA ON THAT SO FAR. SO WITH THAT, I’M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO ASHLEY ENGLER FROM THE TASK FORCE ONE. MY NAME IS ASHLEY ENGLER. I’M THE NEBRASKA TASK FORCE ONE PROGRAM MANAGER. AND FOR THIS OPERATION, I WILL BE THE TASK FORCE LEADER AND BRANCH DIRECTOR OF ALL THE SEARCH AND RESCUE OPERATIONS. NEBRASKA TASK FORCE ONE IS WORKING COLLABORATIVELY WITH LOCAL AGENCIES, FIRST RESPONDERS, LAW ENFORCEMENT CONTRACTORS, THE NEBRASKA STATE FIRE MARSHAL’S OFFICE, AND MANY MORE. AS YOU JUST HEARD, TO SYSTEMATICALLY DILLER IN SEARCH FOR THE VICTIMS. THE LIGHT STEEL, LIGHTWEIGHT STEEL WAREHOUSE STRUCTURE WITH CONCRETE ELEVATOR STRUCTURE IS THE STRUCTURE BASICALLY VERY DIFFICULT TO ACCESS TO GAIN ACCESS DUE TO THE INSTABILITY? THAT’S INCLUDING THE ACTIVE FIRE THAT CONTINUES IN THE MAIN CONCRETE BUILDING. THIS CONTINUES TO WEAKEN AS WE CONTINUE TO WORK AND AS THE FIRE CONTINUES TO BURN, WE ARE USING ALL SEARCH AND RESCUE RESOURCES AND CAPABILITIES. WE HAVE, INCLUDING STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS, TO OBTAIN ACCESS IN A SAFE MANNER TO GET TO THESE, TO THESE VICTIMS. I’LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO THE MAYOR. A LOT OVER THE LAST 24 HOURS HAS BEEN TO JUST SECURE THE AREA AND MAKE SURE THAT THE REST OF THE AREAS ARE SAFE AROUND THE BUILDING. THIS IS REALLY JUST CONCENTRATED TO THIS PLANT. YOU KNOW, I’VE GOTTEN QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SURROUNDING AREA AND ALSO MAKING SURE WE KEEP OUR FIRST RESPONDERS SAFE AND THE WORK THAT THEY’RE DOING. SO THIS HAS REALLY BEEN A EFFORT BETWEEN EVERY RESOURCE THAT WE CAN INTO THIS SITUATION. AND I JUST WANT TO THANK THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE, FEMA, ALL THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WERE MENTIONED. MR. NIELSEN. I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS. THERE WERE STORMS LAST NIGHT. MAYOR, DID THAT HINDER THE RECOVERY AND RESCUE EFFORTS AT ALL LAST NIGHT? DID IT SLOW IT DOWN A LITTLE BIT? WE WERE WATCHING THAT CLOSELY, CONSIDERING WE WERE IN THE FLOOD ADVISORY. AND NO, WE DID NOT GET AS MUCH RAIN AS WE THOUGHT AND IT DIDN’T REALLY HAVE AN IMPACT ON ON THE EFFORT. SO CAN YOU TELL US WHAT TWO CHILDREN WERE DOING THERE? YEAH. WE BELIEVE THIS TIME THAT THE EMPLOYEE WAS THERE IN THE BUILDING. THE TWO CHILDREN WERE THERE JUST WAITING FOR HIM TO GET OFF TO GO TO A DOCTOR’S APPOINTMENT. THAT’S WHAT WE BELIEVE AT THIS POINT. SO CAN YOU PLEASE REPEAT WHAT YOU SAID, THAT THERE IS A RECOVERY NOW AND IT’S NOT A RESCUE TIME? YEAH. THIS MOMENT WE WE ARE IN A RECOVERY EFFORT. SO. AND ARE YOU GIVING THE NAMES OF THE VICTIMS AT THIS POINT, JUST OUT OF RESPECT FOR THE FAMILY? AND AGAIN, OUR COMMUNICATION WITH THEM, WE’RE NOT RELEASING THE NAMES AT THIS POINT. CAN YOU GIVE GENDERS AND AGES? THERE ARE TWO FEMALE JUVENILES, AND I BELIEVE THE AGES. I’M NOT QUITE SURE ON THE AGES. I BELIEVE THEY’RE BOTH UNDER 12. HAS THERE BEEN ANY CONVERSATIONS WITH HORIZON BIOFUELS, THE OWNER OR THE NEBRASKA FIRE MARSHAL HAS BEEN IN CONTACT WITH HORIZON BIOFUELS AND THERE’S CONVERSATIONS GOING ON WITH THEM AT THIS POINT. CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT’S DONE THERE? I CAN’T IT WOULD JUST BE BETWEEN THE FIRE MARSHAL RIGHT NOW AND AND HORIZON. I MEAN, WHAT TYPE OF WORK WAS BEING DONE THERE PREVIOUSLY? OH, THANK YOU. SO THEY ARE MANUFACTURING OF WOOD PELLETS. AND. YEAH, THERE’S, THERE’S A THEY TAKE PALLETS AND PRODUCE WOOD PELLETS FOR, YOU KNOW, PET BEDDING AND OTHER OTHER OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT. DO YOU GUYS KNOW IF THE HIGH TEMPERATURES HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE FIRE. YEAH, WE DON’T KNOW AT THIS POINT. DO WE KNOW HOW LONG RECOVERY EFFORTS MIGHT TAKE OR ANY SORT OF TIMELINE AT THIS TIME? AS MR. NIELSEN MENTIONED, WE DON’T WE’RE STILL FIGHTING AN ACTIVE FIRE RIGHT NOW. AND AS ASHLEY ENGLER SAID, I MEAN, RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE 8:00 TASK FORCE MEETING WHERE THEY GET DELEGATED OUT ALL THE RESPONSIBILITIES TODAY TO MAKE SURE WE CAN GET INTO THAT BUILDING AND WHAT’S GOING TO BE NEED TO BE DONE TO DO THAT. THEY’RE DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN. I CAN’T GIVE A TIMELINE AT THIS POINT, BUT WE’RE GOING TO MOVE AS FAST AS WE CAN. SO WHAT CAUSED THE EXPLOSION? WE DO NOT KNOW THAT YET. NO. CAN YOU CAN YOU DESCRIBE IT ALL? WHAT LED YOU TO TO GO FROM A RESCUE MISSION TO RECOVERY? LIKE WHAT? WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES LED TO THAT? YEAH. SO YESTERDAY, IN CONVERSATIONS WITH THE NEBRASKA TASK FORCE, ONE, ARE ALL THE FIRE AGENCIES AND ASSESSING THE STRUCTURE TO AGAIN, THE MEETING THIS MORNING, IT WAS JUST DETERMINED BASED OFF OF THE EXPLOSION AND WHAT WAS ASSESSED AROUND. AND IN THAT BUILDING THAT WAS WOULD DETERMINE TO MOVE TO RECOVERY EFFORT BASED ON THOSE FACTS. SO HAVE YOU GUYS BEEN ABLE TO EVEN TO GET INTO THE BUILDING YET? WE WE GOT TO THE SCENE AND WE DID EVERYTHING WE COULD AT THAT POINT TO GET IN BASED OFF OF THIS. WHAT THE STRUCTURE AT THAT POINT WAS, WE WERE NOT ABLE TO WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET IN. WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO. WE ARE WE ARE WORKING THIS HOPEFULLY TODAY WE’LL BE ABLE TO GET IN. THAT’S THE GOAL. WELL, ANY OTHER SPECIAL FIRE UNITS BE NEEDED TO EXTRICATE OR TO GET THE GET INTO THE BUILDING? NEBRASKA TASK FORCE ONE HAS ACTUALLY MENTIONED, I MEAN, THEY I MEAN, THEY’RE COMING TO FREMONT. THIS IS A BIG DEAL TO HAVE THEM HERE. I MEAN, SO WE ARE CALLING ON EVERY RESOURCE. I DON’T KNOW IF SHE WANTS TO MENTION IF ANYTHING ELSE IS GOING TO BE CALLED UPON, BUT AT THIS POINT WE HAVE EVERY WE HAVE EVERY RESOURCE, CHRIS, THAT WE CAN. ARE YOU AWARE OF THE LAYOUT OF THE BUILDING AND WHERE THE PEOPLE MAY BE? WE DO KNOW THERE WAS OBVIOUSLY THE GRAIN BIN, AND THEN THERE WAS A CONNECTING BUILDING THAT HAD AN OFFICE AREA. SO WE WE ARE AGAIN FOCUSING OUR EFFORTS ON ON THAT AT THIS POINT AND WHERE THE MALE MAY BE ADULT MALE AND THAT’S KIND OF THAT’S WHERE WE LEFT IT AT THIS POINT. DO WE KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE WORK AT HORIZON BIOFUELS IN TOTAL? WHY THAT NUMBER MIGHT HAVE BEEN JUST THE ONE INDIVIDUAL. I DON’T KNOW ANYTHING OTHER THAN WHAT’S PUBLICLY. I THINK THERE’S TEN EMPLOYEES. FROM WHAT I SAW. THERE ARE BIOFUELS AT THIS LOCATION. SHOULD THE PUBLIC HAVE ANY CONCERN ABOUT THAT BECAUSE OF THE EXPLOSION BEING IN THE AIR, BEING IN THE SURROUNDING AREA? NO, NO, WE ARE THERE. FIRE DEPARTMENTS ARE THERE. WE HAVE THE AREA CONTAINED, SECURED. THERE’S NO NO CONCERN FROM THE PUBLIC. WAS THERE EVER ANY WITH THIS EXPLOSION IN THE FIRE, ANY KIND OF CHEMICAL LEAK OR CLOUD OR ANYTHING THAT CAUSED YOU CONCERN? NO, NOT THAT WE’RE AWARE OF. ARE DRONES CURRENTLY BEING USED TO SURVEY THE AREA? WE DID WE DID HAVE DRONES THAT WERE ABLE TO GIVE US INFORMATION. AND I DON’T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT AGENCIES, BUT THERE WERE DRONES USED. YOU MENTIONED THE CHECKING, MAKING SURE THE STRUCTURE IS SAFE. IS THAT A POSSIBILITY THAT THIS THAT THE WHOLE STRUCTURE COULD COLLAPSE AT SOME POINT? THAT THAT IS EVALUATION THAT WE’RE DOING RIGHT NOW? NEBRASKA TASK FORCE ONE IS USING THEIR RESOURCES. WE’RE TAKING PICTURES. WE’RE GETTING WHERE WE CAN, LOOKING AT THE STRUCTURE THAT IS THAT IS WHAT WE ARE DOING CURRENTLY. I JUST TAKE A COUPLE MORE. HAVE YOU BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THE GOVERNOR ABOUT COMING TO SURVEY ANY OF THE DAMAGE, OR POSSIBLY OFFER FUNDING FOR ALL OF THE RESOURCES? GOVERNOR’S OFFICE, WE HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT. THEY’VE BEEN VERY HELPFUL, AS WELL AS FEMA. AND SO WE’LL CONTINUE TO BE IN CONTACT WITH THEM. CAN YOU ALSO TELL ME ANYTHING ELSE YOU KNOW ABOUT THE EMPLOYEE, WHAT HIS POSITION WAS? ANYTHING ELSE? I CANNOT AT THIS POINT. OBVIOUSLY, IT’S A TIGHT KNIT COMMUNITY HERE AS WE’VE BEEN HERE THIS WHOLE MORNING. WE’VE SEEN PEOPLE OUTSIDE JUST WATCHING, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT ANSWERS. WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY TO THE COMMUNITY WHO’S WAITING TO HEAR ABOUT THESE THREE PEOPLE? YEAH. MY HEART HURTS. IT HURTS FOR THIS SITUATION. IT’S A TRAGEDY. WE PRAY FOR ALL THE FAMILIES INVOLVED. AND THIS IS A DIFFICULT SITUATION TO DEAL WITH. BUT KNOWING THAT WHAT WE HAVE UP HERE AND TO SEE NEBRASKA AND FREMONT BE ABLE TO COME TOGETHER AND RALLY TOGETHER RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE EVERY RESOURCE THAT WE CAN COMING TO THIS SITE. AND SO WE WILL JUST CONTINUE TO DO THAT. SO WE’LL CONTINUE TO PRAY, LIFT UP THE FAMILIES INVOLVED, AND WE’LL CONTINUE TO RALLY AROUND THEM. MAYOR, WOULD YOU SAY THE COMPANY’S COOPERATING IN THIS INVESTIGATION? AS FAR AS I KNOW OF, YES, YES. AS FAR AS TRAFFIC AND THE INDUSTRIAL AREA, IS THAT HOW WILL THAT BE AFFECTED FOR THE REST OF THIS REST OF THIS WEEK? WE’RE WORKING WITH THE STATE PATROL DODGE. AREA AROUND THE AREA. YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY WE WILL JUST HAVE IT CONTAINED AROUND THE PLANT. BUT, YOU KNOW, YOU COME DOWN AND TRAVEL THAT THAT AREA OF TOWN, THERE WILL BE SOME AGAIN DISRUPTION. SO JUST PREPARE FOR THAT. WHICH ROADS ARE BLOCKED OFF RIGHT NOW THE COUNTY DO YOU GUYS WANT TO TALK TO SPEAK TO WHICH ROADS. GOOD. SARGENT FRANK WITH THE DODGE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE. AS OF RIGHT NOW, IT’S STILL THE SAME ROADS THAT WERE BLOCKED YESTERDAY. CLOVELLY ROAD IS BLOCKED AT APPROXIMATELY MAIN STREET AND AT PLATTE STREET. ALSO, SOUTH UNION IS BLOCKED. NORTH. YEAH, NORTH AND SOUTHBOUND ON UNION. AND THEN REALLY THE IN SCHNEIDER STREET IS ALSO BLOCKED FOR FIRE HOSES AND THAT SORT OF THING. SO ALL OF THAT IS THE SAME AS YESTERDAY. IT’S A LITTLE BIT SMALLER THAN BUT THERE’S STILL CREWS THAT ARE ACTIVELY OUT ON ALL OF THOSE ROADS. SO MAKE SURE THE PUBLIC IS AVOIDING THOSE AREAS. AND IF YOU NEED TO MAKE A DELIVERY OR THERE ARE WORKERS THAT ARE GOING TO OTHER PLANTS THAT ARE CHECKING IN WITH OUR UNITS AT THE BARRICADES AND ARE ABLE TO GET THROUGH AND TO GET TO THEIR JOBS, THERE’S SOME PARTS OF THE INDUSTRIAL AREA THAT DID CALL OFF WORK TODAY. IF THEY’RE NOT ABLE TO GET THROUGH THERE, BUT THAT’S ALL WE KNOW AS FAR AS THE ROADS, AND WE’LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THOSE ROADS AND SHRINK THE SCENE AS IT ALLOWS. BUT AT THIS TIME, THE UNCERTAINTY OF THE BUILDING WILL HAVE THAT THAT SCENE SECURE. THERE’S NO OTHER QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME. WE THANK YOU GUYS FOR ALL COMING, AND WE’RE GOING TO LET THEM GET BACK TO WORK. AND WE WILL UPDATE YOU ON THE NEXT BRIEFING. THAT WILL BE. IN FURTHER TO BE ANNOUNCED LATER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU EVERYBODY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. AND WE JUST HEARD FROM OFFICIALS IN FREMONT SURROUNDING AREAS. MAYOR JOEY SPELLERBERG CONFIRMING THAT A RECOVERY EFFORT IS NOW IN EFFECT AFTER THAT BUILDING EXPLOSION YESTERDAY IN FREMONT, AN ADULT MALE WHO WAS AN EMPLOYEE AT THE BUILDING, ALONG WITH TWO JUVENILE GIRLS UNDER THE AGE OF 12. YEAH, SOUNDS LIKE THE MAYOR WAS SAYING WE HAVEN’T CONFIRMED WHETHER HOW THEY WERE RELATED, BUT THAT THE CHILDREN WERE WAITING THERE AT THE PLANT FOR THE MAN TO GET OFF WORK. AND THEN MAYBE WE’RE GOING TO GO TO A DOCTOR’S APPOINTMENT. VERY DEVASTATING. NOW, POSSIBLY LOOKING AT ONE FAMILY THAT’S BEEN AFFECTED BY THIS MASSIVE EXPLOSION. ALSO JUST GOING OVER THE SEARCH IS REALLY HARD. NEBRASKA TASK FORCE ONE OFFICIALS SAID DURING THAT PRESS CONFERENCE WITH THE LIGHTWEIGHT STEEL AND THEN THAT CONCRETE ELEVATOR, IT’S MAKING IT REALLY HARD FOR FIRST RESPONDERS TO ACTUALLY GET IN TO RECOVER THOSE THREE VICTIMS. ALSO SAYING THAT THERE’S STILL THERE’S STILL A FIRE GOING ON INSIDE THE PLANT. IT’S WEAKENING, BUT IT IS STILL BURNING. AND THEY’RE MONITORING THAT OBVIOUSLY AROUND THE CLOCK. AND BECAUSE OF THAT UNCERTAINTY OF THE BUILDING IN ITS CURRENT CONDITION, CLOVELLY ROAD SOUTH UNION STILL BLOCKED OFF. CREWS ARE ACTIVELY OUT THERE. VERY ACTIVE SITUATION WHERE YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL THERE. AND AGAIN THOSE ROADS ARE BLOCKED OFF HERE AT FREMONT. RURAL FIRE CHIEF CARL NIELSEN MENTIONED 15 PLUS AGENCIES RESPONDING TO THIS SCENE. AND AS WE TAKE YOU BACK, IT HAPPENED JUST BEFORE NOON TUESDAY. AND THE HORIZON BIOFUELS EXPLOSION, 950 SOUTH UNION A PLACE WHERE THEY MAKE PELLETS AND ANIMAL BEDDING. ANIMAL BEDDING. EXACTLY. NO OFFICIAL CAUSE OF THE EXPLOSION. STILL VERY PRELIMINARY IN THE INVESTIGATION AND NO REALLY IMPACT ON AIR QUALITY IN THAT AREA. I THINK WHEN WE THINK BIOFUELS PLANT, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE OFFICIALS WERE SAYING THAT THAT IS NOT A CONCERN AND THAT THE WEATHER YESTERDAY, THE STORMS YESTERDAY, THEY DIDN’T GET THAT MUCH RAIN. SO THAT WASN’T A CONCERN. THAT DIDN’T HINDER THINGS. BUT REALLY JUST A A HUGE EFFORT. I THINK THEY SAID 15 PLUS OR AROUND 15 ORGANIZATIONS CAME IN FROM SCRIBNER NICKERSON PLACES IN NEBRASKA. THE GOVERNOR IS MONITORING THIS SITUATION. HE’S WELL AWARE, TALKING ABOUT WORKING WITH FEMA, THINGS LIKE THAT. SO JUST REALLY MAYOR EVEN SAYING JUST PRAYING FOR THE FOLKS IN FREMONT. YEAH, AGAIN, A RECOVERY EFFORT IN PLACE. ONE OF THE ADULT MEN, AN EMPLOYEE WITH THE THE EXPLOSION IN THE BUILDING THERE, THE BIOFUELS SITE, AS WELL AS TWO MINORS UNDER THE AGE OF 12. GIRLS. YEAH. WE DO NOT KNOW THEIR NAMES YET. THEY HAVE NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED. OBVIOUSLY, THEY WILL KEEP US UPDATED AND WE’LL BE CHECKING IN WITH THEM THROUGHOUT THE DAY. YEAH. ANOTHER THING TO NOTE, JUST MINOR DETAILS. ABOUT TEN EMPLOYEES TOTAL THAT WORKED IN THAT PLANT. SO IT WASN’T A LARGE OPERATION. THEY DID SAY THAT HORIZON BIOFUELS IS COOPERATING WITH INVESTIGATORS AS THIS ALL DEVELOPS. BUT LOOKING FORWARD, KEEP UP TO DATE WITH THE BREAKING NEWS WITH KETV MOBILE APP AND KETV.COM. 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Watch: Fremont officials say explosion at Horizon Biofuels plant now a ‘recovery effort’
Updated: 10:35 AM CDT Jul 30, 2025
Fremont Mayor Joey Spellerberg said the explosion at the Horizon Biofuels plant is now a recovery effort.”We have not been able to get in,” Spellerberg said.Officials are giving an update on the incident Wednesday. You can watch the press conference live in the video player above. READ MORE: Three people ‘missing and unaccounted for’ after explosion at Horizon Biofuels plant in FremontSpellerberg said Tuesday that three people were inside the plant, which is located near East Cloverly Road and South Union Street, when it exploded just before noon.Nebraska Task Force One officials said they are working on “delayering” to work on reaching the victims.The explosion triggered a collapse, which made it dangerous for first responders to enter the building.The cause of the explosion is not known right now.KETV Investigates looked into the Horizon Biofuels’ record with OSHA and found five serious violations stemming from a complaint filed in 2012.SEE MORE HERE: Horizon Biofuels previously cited for 5 serious OSHA violationsThe company was fined $12,000 for the infractions, which included failing to establish and maintain an adequate energy control program and failing to protect employees from potential chemical exposure. Horizon Biofuels settled for $6,000.NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |
FREMONT, Neb. —
Fremont Mayor Joey Spellerberg said the explosion at the Horizon Biofuels plant is now a recovery effort.
“We have not been able to get in,” Spellerberg said.
Officials are giving an update on the incident Wednesday. You can watch the press conference live in the video player above.
READ MORE: Three people ‘missing and unaccounted for’ after explosion at Horizon Biofuels plant in Fremont
Spellerberg said Tuesday that three people were inside the plant, which is located near East Cloverly Road and South Union Street, when it exploded just before noon.
Nebraska Task Force One officials said they are working on “delayering” to work on reaching the victims.
The explosion triggered a collapse, which made it dangerous for first responders to enter the building.
The cause of the explosion is not known right now.
KETV Investigates looked into the Horizon Biofuels’ record with OSHA and found five serious violations stemming from a complaint filed in 2012.
SEE MORE HERE: Horizon Biofuels previously cited for 5 serious OSHA violations
The company was fined $12,000 for the infractions, which included failing to establish and maintain an adequate energy control program and failing to protect employees from potential chemical exposure. Horizon Biofuels settled for $6,000.
NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |