Owner badly burned, workers fighting for life after NJ industrial explosion

💥Massive explosion in Logan damaged buildings up to a mile away

💥Four workers remain critically injured, including business owner

💥A controlled burn of remaining fuel continues at the Gloucester County site

LOGAN — An explosion that ripped through a South Jersey industrial building on Wednesday was so powerful it damaged properties up to a mile away, sending shockwaves across the Delaware Valley and leaving multiple workers clinging to life.

Federal investigators are still trying to determine what triggered the blast at Savita Naturals on Heron Drive.

Officials said Thursday that crews are conducting a controlled burn of remaining fuel on the property to safely eliminate hazards left behind by the explosion.

Nearby businesses are slowly reopening, but Heron Drive itself remains closed as investigators comb through the wreckage.

Air quality monitoring in the area has not detected hazardous materials, according to county officials.

Workers critically injured after devastating explosion

The blast left four Savita Naturals employees critically injured. All are being treated at regional trauma and burn centers.

Three additional workers brought themselves to hospitals later Wednesday night after the explosion. Another employee in a nearby building was also hospitalized after suffering a medical emergency triggered by the massive blast, officials said.

Among those critically injured is company owner Richard Trout, according to his son Kevin Trout, who spoke to 6 ABC Action News. Trout suffered severe burns covering roughly 56% of his body and also broke an arm in the explosion.

Federal investigators take over explosion probe

Authorities say there is no indication the explosion was intentional but the investigation has now been handed to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The federal agency specializes in determining the origin of fires and explosions and enforcing laws involving explosives and destructive devices.

For now, investigators are focused on carefully examining the heavily damaged facility while emergency crews work to stabilize the site.

Shockwaves felt across the community

The blast rattled the Logan industrial area on Wednesday afternoon, with reports of shattered windows and structural damage up to a mile from the site.

Residents and workers nearby described hearing a massive boom followed by sirens and smoke rising from the facility.

As investigators continue working through the debris, officials say the priority remains securing the site and supporting the injured workers and their families.

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