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CNN Live At Daybreak

Officials Looking for Cause of Catastrophic Blast at North Carolina Factory

Aired January 30, 2003 - 06:35   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: The top priority now is finding the cause of that catastrophic explosion at a North Carolina factory. Everyone has been accounted for now, but the utter devastation will reverberate throughout the tiny community of Kinston for a very long time.
CNN's Patty Davis is there to bring us this live update.

Patty -- any new word on a cause?

PATTY DAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: In terms of a cause, no. That's something that investigators are going to be looking at very closely today. They've asked workers who were at this plant yesterday to come on in at about 11:00 to a nearby building and tell them what they saw, what happened in that back corner section of the plant where that blast occurred yesterday about 1:30 p.m.

Now, that is the point, the EMS tells me, where they mix their product. They make plastics for things like syringe plungers, also for IV equipment. So, they'll be asking workers what exactly happened.

As you said, Carol, all workers now accounted for. Three confirmed dead, 37 to 39 injured, some very badly burned.

The ATF here, the FBI here, but the emergency medical services here in Kinston saying that terrorism not a factor as far as they can tell at this point, but they certainly will be looking into the origin.

Also, this plant, this West Pharmaceutical plant, was cited by OSHA. It was cited last fall for 30 violations. It settled that just this year, a $9,000 fine it paid, and this state says that it satisfied its concerns and that it is in good standing -- Carol.

COSTELLO: All right, Patty Davis reporting live from North Carolina this morning. We appreciate the update.

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Carolina Factory>


Aired January 30, 2003 - 06:35   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: The top priority now is finding the cause of that catastrophic explosion at a North Carolina factory. Everyone has been accounted for now, but the utter devastation will reverberate throughout the tiny community of Kinston for a very long time.
CNN's Patty Davis is there to bring us this live update.

Patty -- any new word on a cause?

PATTY DAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: In terms of a cause, no. That's something that investigators are going to be looking at very closely today. They've asked workers who were at this plant yesterday to come on in at about 11:00 to a nearby building and tell them what they saw, what happened in that back corner section of the plant where that blast occurred yesterday about 1:30 p.m.

Now, that is the point, the EMS tells me, where they mix their product. They make plastics for things like syringe plungers, also for IV equipment. So, they'll be asking workers what exactly happened.

As you said, Carol, all workers now accounted for. Three confirmed dead, 37 to 39 injured, some very badly burned.

The ATF here, the FBI here, but the emergency medical services here in Kinston saying that terrorism not a factor as far as they can tell at this point, but they certainly will be looking into the origin.

Also, this plant, this West Pharmaceutical plant, was cited by OSHA. It was cited last fall for 30 violations. It settled that just this year, a $9,000 fine it paid, and this state says that it satisfied its concerns and that it is in good standing -- Carol.

COSTELLO: All right, Patty Davis reporting live from North Carolina this morning. We appreciate the update.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com




Carolina Factory>