One dead, two missing in corn milling plant explosion in Midwest U.S.

CHICAGO, June 1 (Xinhua) — At least one person was killed and two other workers went missing during a corn milling plant explosion late Wednesday in the state of Wisconsin in the U.S. Midwest, local media ABC news reported.

More than 10 employees were injured in the incident at the Didion Milling plant in Cambria, Wisconsin, local Sheriff Dennis Richards said at a press conference on Thursday morning.

Richards confirmed that 16 workers were inside the plant when the blast took place. Most of them suffered serious injuries and were sent by ambulance and helicopter to a nearby hospital.

Fire crews arrived at the plant after the blast. The fire was contained by early Thursday morning.

“The first thing I would ask for is just prayer. Being a family-owned business for 44 years, our teams are pretty close,” said Riley Didion, president of Didion Milling.

According to Cambria Village President Glen Williams, the mill processes corn and corn by-products for ethanol plants. The explosion occurred across the street from the plant’s ethanol manufacturing facility.

The cause of the explosion has yet to be determined, and an investigation is already underway. Local residents said they could hear the explosion from four blocks away.