PHILADELPHIA — The Berks County Coroner’s Office on Wednesday released the names of the remaining victims of the explosion at the R.M. Palmer chocolate factory in West Reading that killed seven people.
The remaining five were identified as: Susan H. Halvonik, 63, a Connellsville native who lived in Upper Providence Township; Xiorky D. Nunez, 30, of Reading; Michael D. Breedy, 62, of Marion Township; Diana M. Cedeno, 44, of Reading; and Judith Lopez-Moran, 55, of Reading.
On Monday, the coroner’s office identified Amy S. Sandoe, 49, of Ephrata, and Domingo Cruz, 60, of Reading, as the two other people killed on Friday in the massive blast at the factory about 60 miles northwest of Philadelphia. Ten people were hospitalized and several nearby buildings were damaged.
The coroner’s office said forensic medical examinations are continuing to determine the cause and manner of death for all the victims.
The National Transportation Safety Board announced late Tuesday afternoon that it had launched a probe, calling the incident a “natural gas” explosion and fire. The agency has preliminary information from local authorities and a natural gas utility that a gas pipeline was involved, an agency spokesperson, Keith Holloway, told the Associated Press.
The NTSB is investigating “what caused, how and why the explosion occurred,” Holloway told the wire service.
Other local, state, and federal investigations are ongoing.
Some workers told relatives they smelled natural gas before the blast, although the gas utility UGI said it received no reports of a gas leak.
“UGI is cooperating with authorities in the investigation concerning the incident at R.M. Palmer,” utility spokesperson Joe Swope told the Associated Press.
ABC News on Wednesday reported that a woman who lives next to the factory filed a lawsuit against the company, accusing R.M. Palmer of negligence that led to the fatal explosion.
Betty Wright claimed she was home at the time of the explosion and was “lifted from her feet and blown across the room causing severe and permanent injuries,” according to the lawsuit.
Wright is asking for damages in excess of $50,000, according to the suit.
The company could not be reached Wednesday evening for comment on the lawsuit.
On Saturday, R.M. Palmer said in a statement posted on social media that the company’s owners “have always viewed our employees as family, and are focused now more than ever on providing any support we can to you and the families of employees directly affected by this tragedy.”
As of Tuesday, the Berks County Community Foundation said it had raised nearly $330,000 for a disaster recovery fund to provide assistance to families of the victims and for other related needs.
