NTSB Report: Workers Smelled Gas Before Deadly PA Chocolate Factory Explosion

The National Transportation Safety Board has released its preliminary report on the March 24 explosion at the R.M. Palmer Company candy factory in Berks County, which killed seven workers. The report details that employees in Building 1 recalled the smell of rotten eggs around the time of the blast, while workers in Building 2 reported smelling the odor of natural gas. The report notes that natural gas is odorless, so strong-smelling chemical additives are mixed in so leaks can be more easily detected. The investigation will focus on identifying the source of the explosion.