Blast kills1 at General Motors plant in Indiana

MARION, Ind. - A chemical explosion Tuesday at a General Motors metal-stamping plant in Indiana has left one person dead and five others injured, authorities said.

Marion Deputy Police Chief Cliff Sessoms says the blast killed 48-year-old James L. Gibson, a GM contractor.

A Marion General Hospital spokeswoman says five other people have non-life threatening injuries.

GM spokeswoman Stephanie Jentgen says "the situation is contained" and "everybody has been evacuated" from the plant in Marion, about 60 miles northeast of Indianapolis.

"This is heartbreaking for our community," Marion Mayor Wayne Seybold said, according to CBS affiliate WISH.

Assistant Fire Chief Greg Yeakle told the Marion Chronicle-Tribune that chlorine dioxide was involved in the explosion.

GM spokesman Bill Grotz says an investigation is underway.

The plant employs about 1,600 workers. It provides blanks, stampings and sheet metal assembly for vehicles to GM assembly plants across North America.

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