State Fire Marshal’s Office reveals cause of deadly explosion at Horizon Biofuels plant
KETV NEWSWATCH SEVEN AT TEN STARTS WITH BREAKING NEWS. AND THAT BREAKING NEWS COMES FROM FREMONT. FIRST RESPONDERS HAVE NOW FOUND THE BODIES OF THE TWO GIRLS WHO WERE STILL MISSING IN THAT BUILDING THAT EXPLODED. THANKS FOR JOINING US. I’M ROB MCCARTNEY. I’M JULIE CORNELL, THE DODGE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE ALSO IDENTIFIED THE MAN KILLED AS A 32 YEAR OLD DYLAN DANIELSON OF COLUMBUS, NEBRASKA. HIS BODY WAS FOUND AROUND NOON TODAY AT THE HORIZON BIOFUELS PLANT. THE NAMES OF THE GIRLS HAVE NOT BEEN RELEASED, AND THE FAMILY HAS ASKED FOR PRIVACY. YOU’RE TAKING A LOOK AT THE DAMAGE OF THE BUILDING. PART OF IT STILL STANDS. STILL UNCLEAR WHAT CAUSED THE EXPLOSION. WELL, TONIGHT WE HAVE LIVE TEAM COVERAGE. PETE CUDDIHY SHARES HOW THE COMMUNITY CAME TOGETHER DURING THIS TRAGIC TIME. FIRST, MADDIE AUGUSTINE LEADS OUR COVERAGE WITH THE BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. MADDIE. YEAH. ROB. JULIE CREWS ARE STILL ON SITE. AS YOU CAN SEE BEHIND ME HERE, THERE ARE MULTIPLE LADDERS POURING WATER ONTO THAT TALLER STRUCTURE OF THE HORIZON BIOFUELS BUILDING. AND RIGHT AROUND 9:00 WE SAW TONS OF BLACK SMOKE JUST POURING OUT OF THAT STRUCTURE. EARLIER THIS EVENING, WE SAW FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS HOLDING HANDS AND PRAYING NEAR THE SCENE. BUT AGAIN, THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE HAS NOW SAID ALL THREE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN FOUND. A BUILDING IN SHAMBLES AND BURNING FOR MORE THAN 24 HOURS. 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 SEARCH. NEARLY 18 AGENCIES STEPPING UP TO HELP. WE HAVE BEEN DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN. BRINGING EVERY AGENCY AND RESOURCE THAT WE CAN TO THIS SITUATION HERE IN FREMONT, 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. JUST BEFORE NOON TUESDAY, THIS EXPLOSION SENT HORIZON BIOFUELS UP IN FLAMES. OFFICIALS SAY A MAN AND TWO YOUNG GIRLS WERE INSIDE. WE BELIEVE AT 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. ON WEDNESDAY AROUND NOON, THE DODGE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE SAID THEY RECOVERED THE BODY OF 32 YEAR OLD DYLAN DANIELSON. HOURS LATER, IT WAS ANNOUNCED THAT THE BODIES OF THE TWO MISSING GIRLS HAD BEEN FOUND, BUT THEY ARE STILL WORKING TO PUT OUT THE FLAMES. 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. AS CREWS CONTINUE TO BATTLE THE BURNING BUILDING. STREETS IN THE AREA REMAIN CLOSED, AND OFFICIALS ARE ASKING YOU TO REMAIN CLEAR OF THIS AREA. THE FREMONT MAYOR HAS SAID THE STATE FIRE MARSHAL IS IN COMMUNICATION WITH HORIZON BIOFUELS. BUT AT THIS TIME, THE CAUSE OF THE EXPLOSION IS STILL UNCLEAR. REPO
State Fire Marshal’s Office reveals cause of deadly explosion at Horizon Biofuels plant
Updated: 3:24 PM CDT Jul 31, 2025
The State Fire Marshal’s Office confirmed the explosion at the Horizon Biofuels plant was an accident.On Thursday, fire officials revealed the cause of the explosion was an accidental dust fire.What we know: Plant explodes in FremontThe explosion, which happened on Tuesday just before noon, claimed the lives of three people, including Dylan Danielson, 32, and two young girls. The Dodge County Sheriff’s Office said the scene has now been stabilized, but there may be smoke still seen from the concrete tower due to smoldering inside the building. Firefighters will return to the scene if anything major changes.PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Fremont mayor says explosion at Horizon Biofuels plant now ‘recovery effort’Most of the roads near the scene have been reopened with the exception of Union Street from Cloverly Road to just north of the property. NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |
FREMONT, Neb. —
The State Fire Marshal’s Office confirmed the explosion at the Horizon Biofuels plant was an accident.
On Thursday, fire officials revealed the cause of the explosion was an accidental dust fire.
What we know: Plant explodes in Fremont
The explosion, which happened on Tuesday just before noon, claimed the lives of three people, including Dylan Danielson, 32, and two young girls.
The Dodge County Sheriff’s Office said the scene has now been stabilized, but there may be smoke still seen from the concrete tower due to smoldering inside the building.
Firefighters will return to the scene if anything major changes.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Fremont mayor says explosion at Horizon Biofuels plant now ‘recovery effort’
Most of the roads near the scene have been reopened with the exception of Union Street from Cloverly Road to just north of the property.
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