One person was killed and approximately three dozen injured in an explosion and fire last week at a cosmetics factory in New York state. Seven of the injured were firefighters who were inside the facility, responding to a first blast, when a second explosion occurred.
News sources say the incident at the Verla International cosmetics factory in New Windsor, New York, began last Monday morning and continued into the night, as fire crews fought the blaze that followed the explosion. The body of an employee killed in the incident was not recovered until 7:40 p.m.
The cause of the blast has not been identified by authorities.
Two of the firefighters were reportedly taken to the burn unit of a nearby hospital. Official said that none of the injuries appeared to be life threatening.
Verla was cited by OSHA for nine occupational safety violations earlier this year – one related to the handling of flammable and combustible liquids.