Gas explosion kills five at US plant

Five people were killed and at least 12 injured in a gas explosion yesterday at power plant under construction in central Connecticut.



Residents living up to 20 miles away reported hearing the blast about 11.20 a.m. at the Kleen Power Plant in Middletown, a suburb of Hartford, Connecticut.



Mayor of Middletown, Sebastian Giuliano says plant workers were purging a natural gas pipeline when the explosion occurred.

Fire officials have said about 50 construction workers were on the site at the time of the explosion.



At least 100 firefighters were sent to the scene and it reportedly took them an hour to contain the fire caused by the blast.

The Mayor says there is no present or continuing threat to anyone from substances getting into the atmosphere or from a possible subsequent explosion.