Explosion at industrial complex in Logan Township, New Jersey, leaves 4 injured, officials say
At least four people were injured after an explosion at an industrial complex in Logan Township, New Jersey, on Wednesday afternoon, according to Gloucester County officials.
An explosion was reported around 2:30 p.m. in the Pureland Industrial Complex at 617 Heron Drive in Swedesboro.
A shelter-in-place order for a 2-mile radius of Heron Drive and High Hill Road was in place for over an hour but was lifted shorlty before 5 p.m., Gloucester County Emergency Management posted on Facebook.
Officials say four people were taken to nearby hospitals — three to Cooper University Hospital, including two trauma patients, and one to a hospital in Philadelphia. A spokesperson for Cooper Health said they originally thought six patients were being transported.
The call came in to dispatch as a heavy fire in a one-story manufacturing facility with partial building collapse, near Route 322 and Interstate 295. Emergency officials said the explosion caused "extensive damage" to the facility and its neighboring building. They said fire and hazmat crews remain on scene to monitor a burn-off of an additional fuel product at the scene. Officials are monitoring air quality.
The cause of the explosion and the source that was feeding the flames are unknown at this time.
David Elze works at a building on Heron Drive near the explosion site. Elze told CBS News Philadelphia he and his coworkers "really felt the explosion."
"Everybody walked outside to see what happened," Elze said. "Did lightning strike the building? We didn't know. We saw the people in our neighboring building walk out, so we knew it was something bigger than lightning. Then we saw smoke."
Elze said he could see the fire over the buildings, which he said are about 24 feet tall.
"So, the flames at some point were 30 feet tall," Elze said.
He said first responders were at the scene within a minute of sound of the explosion.
Will Verity, who works in a business nearby, told CBS News Philadelphia that he was in the office at the time of the explosion, and the building shook. He said ceiling tiles fell and the floor shook.
"It was crazy," Verity said. "We went outside because we didn't know what the hell happened."
Eric Brunhammer works at Thomas Scientific, which distributes medical and scientific supplies, in the 1600 block of High Road, less than a mile from the explosion.
Brunhammer told CBS News Philadelphia that he was working when "something tried to come through the wall."
"It literally sounds like something crashed into the wall of our building," Brunhammer said. "And then our lights flickered, so the next thing I know, people are running outside, so I ran out with them."
Brunhammer provided CBS News Philadelphia with a photo of what he saw after the explosion.
People posted on social media that they heard some type of explosion. One user on Facebook posted Ring surveillance video in which a large boom can be heard. Another social media user said their house shook.
Bill Urbanski, who lives on Patriot Drive, shared a video that shows his pet dog lying on his couch inside his home and jumping after hearing the explosion.
Camden County emergency crews are assisting Gloucester County with the incident.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
