A massive explosion at the Horizon Biofuels plant in Fremont has left three people dead, including two young girls, according to local officials. The blast, which occurred on Tuesday afternoon, July 29, sent shockwaves through the community and ignited a fire that burned through the night, complicating rescue efforts.
Fremont Mayor Joey Spellerberg confirmed the fatalities during a somber press conference the following day. “My heart hurts,” he said. “It’s a tragedy. We pray for every person involved.”
According to the Associated Press, the two children, both under the age of 12, were reportedly waiting for a family member—an employee at the plant—to finish work. Their bodies, along with the adult’s, were discovered after firefighters managed to access the smoldering wreckage.
The explosion scattered debris across the area, and nearby residents reported their homes shaking from the force of the blast. Thick smoke and persistent flames have hindered emergency crews from entering the facility to conduct a full search.
“We had a fire going all night, even through the rain,” Spellerberg told Omaha’s KFAB radio station. “The feed mill and office areas were engulfed in flames—it basically has not stopped.”
Firefighters continue to battle hotspots as investigators work to determine the cause of the explosion. The Horizon Biofuels plant, a key part of Fremont’s industrial landscape, is now the center of a tragic incident that has shaken the town to its core.
This heartbreaking event joins a long history of catastrophic fires. To explore some of the deadliest fires in human history, click through this gallery.