A Nebraska biofuels plant explosion results in three deaths.

On Wednesday, officials in Nebraska confirmed the deaths of two girls and an adult who had been missing since a massive explosion occurred at a biofuels plant, while firefighters continue to fight smoke and flames in the wreckage nearly a day later.

“I am deeply saddened,” Fremont Mayor Joey Spellerberg said. “This is a devastating loss. We offer our prayers to all the families affected.”

During a press conference, Spellerberg stated that the two children were waiting for an employee at Horizon Biofuels to finish work so they could attend a doctor’s appointment.

He was uncertain of their exact ages but confirmed both were under 12 years old. Authorities have declined to release their names at present.

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Spellerberg indicated that crews were assessing whether the entire facility was at risk of collapse. Carl Nielsen, a representative of the city’s volunteer fire department, pointed out that the structure’s instability has limited crew access, hindering efforts to bring the fire under control.

The fire continued to burn, undeterred by overnight rainfall.

“It’s going to be very slow,” he notified reporters, saying authorities do not have a timeline for when they anticipate the bodies to be recovered.

The plant generates animal bedding and wood pellets for heating and smoking food, reprocessing tons of wood waste. Fremont Fire Chief Todd Bernt has expressed that they believe the facility stores wood and specific alcohol-based materials.

Bernt mentioned that first responders were met with “heavy smoke and a lot of flames” upon initial arrival at the facility, which is positioned near other manufacturing and food processing plants.

According to the Fremont Tribune, a 2014 fire at the building damaged the electrical system but did not compromise the structure.

The mayor indicated that he and investigators have strong suspicions that the explosion was caused by wood dust in the plant’s elevator.

“That’s really the only thing that makes sense,” Spellerberg said.

Horizon Biofuels did not provide an immediate response to phone calls requesting a comment.

SOURCE: EURONEWS