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Emergency personnel work at the site of a deadly explosion at a chocolate factory on Saturday. Alamy Stock Photo

Death toll from powerful explosion at chocolate factory in United States rises to seven

The explosion happened on Friday afternoon in the state of Pennsylvania.

THE BODIES OF two people missing at the site of a powerful explosion at a chocolate factory in the United States have been recovered, taking the death toll of the blast to seven.

The explosion happened on Friday afternoon at the RM Palmer Co plant in West Reading, about 60 miles north west of Philadelphia, in the state of Pennsylvania.

RM Palmer Co was founded in 1948 and is headquartered in West Reading.

West Reading Mayor Samantha Kaag confirmed the discovery of the last two bodies, adding that none of the victims will be named until officials are certain that all families have been contacted.

emergency-responders-and-heavy-equipment-are-seen-at-the-site-of-a-deadly-explosion-at-a-chocolate-factory-in-west-reading-pennsylvania-saturday-march-25-ap-photomichael-rubinkam Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

She said: “Please understand that this is a devastating loss, but we are truly grateful to bring closure to the families involved in the upcoming days.”

Three buildings around the site will be condemned as a precaution, she said.

“This does not mean they are slated for demolition or uninhabitable,” she said.

“Simply that there will still be work happening around them as we proceed and they will need to be looked at further by structural engineers.”

One woman was pulled alive from the rubble early on Saturday after being located by a search dog.

Reading Hospital said it received 10 patients and transferred two to other facilities, while two others were admitted in good and fair condition respectively and the others had been discharged.

A statement from RM Palmer said everyone at the company was “devastated” and it was reaching out to employees and their families through first responders and disaster recovery organisations because its communication systems were down.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro vowed support from the state when he visited the scene on Saturday.

Fire investigators are continuing to examine the scene to try to determine the cause of the blast.

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    Mute Andy Cheung
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    Jan 31st 2018, 9:00 AM

    Missing files about missing files?

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    Mute Gillian Scully
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    Jan 31st 2018, 9:17 AM

    @Andy Cheung: I know hilarious and I am still giggling.

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    Mute billy Dorney
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    Jan 31st 2018, 9:37 AM

    Secondhand information

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    Mute Dave O Keeffe
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    Jan 31st 2018, 10:26 AM

    @billy Dorney: beat me to it

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    Mute billy Dorney
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    Jan 31st 2018, 6:55 PM

    @Dave O Keeffe: just id say

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    Mute pats brandon
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    Jan 31st 2018, 9:26 AM

    This blunder has serious ramificaitons. Skippy’s cover in Afghanistan has been completely blown.

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    Mute Reuben Gray
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    Jan 31st 2018, 9:06 AM

    “Australian cabinet papers are usually not released to the public until two decades after they were created.”

    So is this the normal method of release for “cabinet papers” then?

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    Mute Paul Jennings
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    Jan 31st 2018, 11:10 AM

    Great places for unusual finds, secondhand shops. It took a student innocently rummaging through a drawer or a file stumbling over the findings of Unit 731, a hell-on-earth “medical research” centre in wartime occupied China where victims were subjected to experimental invasive surgery, freezing, burning, electrocution, infection, being spun in centrifuges, placed in pressure cells until they imploded and vivisection. All conducted without anaesthetic, because it might “influence” or “compromise” the accuracy of the results. It’s a wonder governments/organisations don’t cover their (dirty) asses better when disposing of incriminating material.

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    Mute billy Dorney
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    Feb 1st 2018, 6:08 AM

    @Paul Jennings: thats hard, never heard until now of such a (bar auchwitz)

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    Mute Liam Doyle
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    Jan 31st 2018, 9:25 AM

    But, but, but… her emails!

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    Mute gerry fallon
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    Jan 31st 2018, 9:20 AM

    Just put them on the Barbie cobber!

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    Mute Tony Gartland
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    Jan 31st 2018, 9:59 AM

    What about putting the bubbles in Beer? Is THAT secret still safe?

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    Mute David Dineen
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    Jan 31st 2018, 9:10 AM

    To be found under the fiction book shelf

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    Mute Dave O'Hanlon
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    Jan 31st 2018, 5:25 PM

    Quick tell the prime minister. ‘Oi Prime Minister!!!!!’

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