Dozens Injured In Conn. Power Plant Explosion

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The Kleen Energy Systems plant, where an explosion took place earlier today, is seen February 7, 2010 in Middletown, Connecticut. At least two were killed and several more injured after the explosion at the gas power plant which is still under construction.

Dozens of people may have been injured in a massive gas line explosion at a power plant in Middletown, Conn., on Sunday.

Al Santostefano, the deputy fire marshal in Middletown, tells The Associated Press the explosion happened at 11:17 a.m. Sunday at the Kleen Energy power plant, and that portions of the building blew away. He says 50 workers were inside at the time of the explosion.

Santostefano says dogs are looking for victims in the rubble, but there are no signs of life.

Sky-high flames and billowing black smoke were seen coming from the plant. Neighbors say windows were blown out from the impact, and blinds were knocked off walls.

The Rev. Dave Franklin was at the Emmanuel Tabernacle in Christ Church, about a mile and a half down the road.

"It felt like an earthquake," he said. "We knew something tragic was happening."

The plant is a mid-sized, gas-fired power plant that was reportedly undergoing tests at the time and was not online.

Material from The Associated Press was used in this report. Copyright 2010 National Public Radio. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.