One person has died and at least 40 more were injured after an explosion caused the floor of a Mexican candy factory to collapse on Thursday.
Law enforcement officials from the border city of Ciudad Juarez told the Associated Press that the blast occurred on the second floor of the Dulces Blueberry factory, causing the ground to cave in, crashing down onto the people working on the first floor below.
"I was able to help five people who walked out of the building, but as soon as they were out, they went into shock and fainted," worker Ismael Bouchet told AP.
Officials are still unsure what brought on the blast, but Bouchet did mention that the factory had recently installed a steam boiler in the vicinity.
Firefighters discovered remains of a body inside the building. Six of the 40 injured found so far were reported to be in serious condition, according to Ciudad Juarez Civil Protection Director Fernando Mota. A handful of employees have still not been found, and might be trapped beneath the rubble inside the building.
Rescue teams worked throughout Thursday night, combing through splintered wood and pieces of glass in search of more victims.
Bouchet told AP that some said they smelled acid at the site of the explosion.
"Since the morning, several co-workers said there was a bad smell, that it smelled of acid and because it was a new area, we thought it was normal," Bouchet reported.
Photos and video from the scene of the incident depicted workers with injuries that resembled chemical burns.
The candy company, which manufactures gummy bears, jelly beans, peach rings and other treats, employs 300 people in the city of Juarez-a major production hub.
