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<\/p>\nWatch: Fremont officials say explosion at Horizon Biofuels plant now a ‘recovery effort’<\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLET\u2019S LISTEN IN. LIVE EVERY EFFORT, AND WE BEFORE HERE. WE\u2019RE 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\u2019LL 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\u2019D JUST LIKE TO TALK ABOUT WHAT WE\u2019RE DOING ON THE FIRE SIDE, AND THEN WE\u2019LL ALSO TURN IT OVER. ASHLEY ENGLER\u2019S 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\u2019S 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\u2019S BEEN ONGOING. THE BUILDING IS STILL ON FIRE. WE\u2019RE TRYING TO START THE DELAYERING PROCESS THIS MORNING WITH HEAVY EQUIPMENT THAT WE\u2019VE HAD MOBILIZED. IT\u2019S GOING TO BE VERY SLOW. SO AS WE PEEL PIECES OFF, WE\u2019RE 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\u2019LL GIVE YOU A LIST HERE OF ALL OF THE OTHER AGENCIES THAT HAVE BEEN HERE. WE\u2019VE 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\u2019S OFFICE. AGAIN, IT\u2019S IT\u2019S ONGOING. WE\u2019LL BE WE\u2019LL BE ON SCENE UNTIL UNTIL WE\u2019RE DONE. AS FAR AS THE TIMELINE GOES, NONE OF US HAVE ANY IDEA ON THAT SO FAR. SO WITH THAT, I\u2019M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO ASHLEY ENGLER FROM THE TASK FORCE ONE. MY NAME IS ASHLEY ENGLER. I\u2019M 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\u2019S 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\u2019S 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\u2019LL 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\u2019VE GOTTEN QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SURROUNDING AREA AND ALSO MAKING SURE WE KEEP OUR FIRST RESPONDERS SAFE AND THE WORK THAT THEY\u2019RE 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\u2019S 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\u2019T 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\u2019S APPOINTMENT. THAT\u2019S WHAT WE BELIEVE AT THIS POINT. SO CAN YOU PLEASE REPEAT WHAT YOU SAID, THAT THERE IS A RECOVERY NOW AND IT\u2019S 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\u2019RE NOT RELEASING THE NAMES AT THIS POINT. CAN YOU GIVE GENDERS AND AGES? THERE ARE TWO FEMALE JUVENILES, AND I BELIEVE THE AGES. I\u2019M NOT QUITE SURE ON THE AGES. I BELIEVE THEY\u2019RE 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\u2019S CONVERSATIONS GOING ON WITH THEM AT THIS POINT. CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT\u2019S DONE THERE? I CAN\u2019T 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\u2019S, THERE\u2019S 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\u2019T 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\u2019T WE\u2019RE 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\u2019S GOING TO BE NEED TO BE DONE TO DO THAT. THEY\u2019RE DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN. I CAN\u2019T GIVE A TIMELINE AT THIS POINT, BUT WE\u2019RE 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\u2019LL BE ABLE TO GET IN. THAT\u2019S 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\u2019RE COMING TO FREMONT. THIS IS A BIG DEAL TO HAVE THEM HERE. I MEAN, SO WE ARE CALLING ON EVERY RESOURCE. I DON\u2019T 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\u2019S KIND OF THAT\u2019S 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\u2019T KNOW ANYTHING OTHER THAN WHAT\u2019S PUBLICLY. I THINK THERE\u2019S 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\u2019S 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\u2019RE 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\u2019T 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\u2019RE DOING RIGHT NOW? NEBRASKA TASK FORCE ONE IS USING THEIR RESOURCES. WE\u2019RE TAKING PICTURES. WE\u2019RE 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\u2019S OFFICE, WE HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT. THEY\u2019VE BEEN VERY HELPFUL, AS WELL AS FEMA. AND SO WE\u2019LL 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\u2019S A TIGHT KNIT COMMUNITY HERE AS WE\u2019VE BEEN HERE THIS WHOLE MORNING. WE\u2019VE SEEN PEOPLE OUTSIDE JUST WATCHING, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT ANSWERS. WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY TO THE COMMUNITY WHO\u2019S WAITING TO HEAR ABOUT THESE THREE PEOPLE? YEAH. MY HEART HURTS. IT HURTS FOR THIS SITUATION. IT\u2019S 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\u2019LL CONTINUE TO PRAY, LIFT UP THE FAMILIES INVOLVED, AND WE\u2019LL CONTINUE TO RALLY AROUND THEM. MAYOR, WOULD YOU SAY THE COMPANY\u2019S 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\u2019RE 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\u2019S OFFICE. AS OF RIGHT NOW, IT\u2019S 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\u2019S A LITTLE BIT SMALLER THAN BUT THERE\u2019S 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\u2019S SOME PARTS OF THE INDUSTRIAL AREA THAT DID CALL OFF WORK TODAY. IF THEY\u2019RE NOT ABLE TO GET THROUGH THERE, BUT THAT\u2019S ALL WE KNOW AS FAR AS THE ROADS, AND WE\u2019LL 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\u2019S NO OTHER QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME. WE THANK YOU GUYS FOR ALL COMING, AND WE\u2019RE 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\u2019T 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\u2019RE GOING TO GO TO A DOCTOR\u2019S APPOINTMENT. VERY DEVASTATING. NOW, POSSIBLY LOOKING AT ONE FAMILY THAT\u2019S 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\u2019S MAKING IT REALLY HARD FOR FIRST RESPONDERS TO ACTUALLY GET IN TO RECOVER THOSE THREE VICTIMS. ALSO SAYING THAT THERE\u2019S STILL THERE\u2019S STILL A FIRE GOING ON INSIDE THE PLANT. IT\u2019S WEAKENING, BUT IT IS STILL BURNING. AND THEY\u2019RE 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\u2019T GET THAT MUCH RAIN. SO THAT WASN\u2019T A CONCERN. THAT DIDN\u2019T 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\u2019S 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\u2019LL 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\u2019T 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. SOME OF YOUR PHOTOS AND VIDEOS ARE THERE. WE\u2019LL S\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Watch: Fremont officials say explosion at Horizon Biofuels plant now a ‘recovery effort’<\/p>\n
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\n\t\t\tUpdated: 10:35 AM CDT Jul 30, 2025\n\t\t<\/p>\n
\t\tEditorial Standards \u24d8<\/a><\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\tFremont 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 |\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\tFREMONT, Neb. \u2014 \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n Fremont Mayor Joey Spellerberg said the explosion at the Horizon Biofuels plant<\/a> is now a recovery effort.<\/p>\n “We have not been able to get in,” Spellerberg said.<\/p>\n Officials are giving an update on the incident Wednesday. You can watch the press conference live in the video player above. <\/p>\n READ MORE: Three people ‘missing and unaccounted for’ after explosion at Horizon Biofuels plant in Fremont<\/a><\/p>\n Spellerberg said Tuesday that three people were inside the plant<\/a>, which is located near East Cloverly Road and South Union Street, when it exploded just before noon<\/a>.<\/p>\n Nebraska Task Force One officials said they are working on “delayering” to work on reaching the victims.<\/p>\n The explosion triggered a collapse<\/a>, which made it dangerous for first responders to enter the building.<\/p>\n The cause of the explosion is not known right now.<\/p>\n KETV Investigates looked into the Horizon Biofuels’ record with OSHA and found five serious violations stemming from a complaint filed in 2012<\/a>.<\/p>\n SEE MORE HERE: Horizon Biofuels previously cited for 5 serious OSHA violations<\/a><\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n NAVIGATE: Home<\/a> | Weather<\/a> | Local News<\/a> | National<\/a> | Sports<\/a> | Newscasts on demand<\/a> |<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Watch: Fremont officials say explosion at Horizon Biofuels plant now a ‘recovery effort’ LET\u2019S LISTEN IN. 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