8 injured in smoky blast at Pennsylvania chocolate factory

WEST READING, Pa. -- Firefighters battled a blaze in Pennsylvania Friday after an explosion at a chocolate factory injured eight people and sent a plume of black smoke into the air above West Reading.

Berks County fire crews remained on the scene at the R.M. Palmer Co. plant Friday night about 60 miles (96 kilometers) northwest of Philadelphia. But few other details have been released.

Tower Health spokeswoman Jessica Bezler said eight people were taken to Reading Hospital Friday evening.

Two were admitted in fair condition and five were being treated and would be released, she said in an email to The Associated Press. She said one patient was transferred to another facility, but provided no other details.

The explosion occurred shortly before 5 p.m. in a building at the plant at Second Avenue and Cherry Street. Debris covered roads in the area, NBC10 in Philadelphia first reported.

Reading Hospital is among several hospitals in Tower Health’s regional healthcare network, its website says.

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This story corrects an earlier version to show the name of the hospital is Reading Hospital.