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Thousands of destroyed propane tanks litter parking lot after plant explosion
This handout photo released by ClickOrlando.com on July 30 shows an explosion of propane tank cylinders at the Blue Rhino plant in Tavares, Fla., on July 29.ClickOrlando.com via AFP - Getty Images
By PhotoBlog
By M. Alex Johnson, Staff Writer, NBC News
A combination of human error and equipment failure might have caused a series of explosions that engulfed a propane plant in flames in Tavares, Fla., late Monday, injuring eight people and forcing evacuations for a half-mile around the scene, authorities said.
The explosions began as a fire spread through the Blue Rhino plant, near Orlando, about 10:30 p.m. ET, Lake County sheriff's Lt. John Herrell told reporters early Tuesday.
Plant officials say all employees of the plant are accounted for. All of those injured were in the plant when the fire started.
"It sounds like bombs are going off," Norma Haygood, a nearby resident, told WESH.