The death toll has now risen to seven after a Friday afternoon explosion at the R.M. Palmer chocolate factory in West Reading. "Search and rescue teams have located two more individuals at the R.M. Palmer site. We are still waiting for the coroner to confirm the remaining individuals identities, but we do believe them to be the remaining presumptive missing individuals," says West Reading police Chief Wayne Holben. He says all those missing after the blast are now accounted for. Ten others were injured in the explosion, which remains under investigation.
A 31-year-old Allentown man is under arrest after trying to flee police over the weekend. Police spotted Timothy Davis-Burgess before 5 o'clock Saturday afternoon at the Howard Johnson hotel on Hamilton Boulevard. Davis-Burgess then ran across Hamilton Boulevard and scaled a fence around Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom. Park security use surveillance cameras to follow Davis-Burgess’ path through the park to a restaurant near the water park, where he was arrested without incident. Davis-Burgess is wanted on numerous charges in the Lehigh Valley, including a felony warrant in Northampton County for manufacturing, delivering or possession illegal drugs.
A nice story out of Bath, where the American Legion hosted Cinderella's Closet, a program that gives away prom gowns. People could donate dresses at one of several drop-off locations in the area and then high-schoolers then could try on and take home their dress.
Do not panic if you see a lot of emergency vehicles converge on Parkland High School today. It's only a drill. Parkland High School’s science of firefighting class has scheduled holding a simulated hazardous materials drill this afternoon. Several emergency vehicles will be parked in front of the school, but they and first responders will be there just as part of the drill, which is expected to happen around 1-1:30 p.m.
The Philadelphia Water Department says it is confident that tap water is safe to drink after a chemical spill into the Delaware River. Officials made the announcement late Sunday afternoon based on what they say were the latest sampling results and data from the Baxter Drinking Water Treatment Plant. The leak late Friday evening was caused from a pipe rupture at the Trinseo Altuglas chemical facility in Bristol Township.
State and federal officials have been keeping an eye on New Jersey's water system following a chemical spill near Bristol, Pennsylvania, this weekend. So far, officials say they have found no contaminants in the state's system. The spill in the Delaware River occurred below Trenton but Mayor Reed Gusciora says their utility is monitoring the river. He says state officials told him the spill will not affect Trenton Water Works but that residents should still be aware there may be some discoloration in their water. New Jersey American Water officials also say they've found no contaminants in their system but they're urging customers to limit their non-essential water use. More than eight-thousand gallons of latex finishing solution spilled into Otter Creek Saturday after a pipe burst at the Trinseo PLC plant in Bristol.
Results of a new survey indicate New Jersey adults prefer to have parents more involved in the curriculum of kindergarten-through-twelfth grade classes. The study comes from Stockton University. The survey found two-thirds of the parents who were surveyed say they think parents need to be more involved in what's being taught in their schools. The survey found 26 percent think the level of involvement is fine the way it is. The survey also found 62 percent of those parents who responded are satisfied that their school districts keep them informed of what's being covered in their schools.
Officials are testing for bird flu in dead whales and dolphins found washed up along the New Jersey shore. Sheila Dean with the Marine Mammal Stranding Center in Brigantine is looking for answers. "We've been handling these animals and able to rescue many of them for 45 years and now we're helpless," Dean says. There are reports the British government discovered bird flu in two dead dolphins recently found in the United Kingdom.
Former Philadelphia Eagles Pro Bowl linebacker Frank LeMaster has died. The Eagles tweeted that they were saddened to learn of his death Saturday at the age of 71. The Eagles took him in the fourth round of the 1974 draft and he played for the team through the 1982 season. He was selected to the Pro Bowl in 1981.