Explosion, fire at Savannah sugar refinery

Explosion, fire at Savannah sugar refinery Dozens of persons were injured and six were missing after an explosion and fire at the Imperial Sugar Refinery in Savannah Thursday evening.
   The U.S. Coast Guard closed a portion of the Savannah River to commercial and recreational traffic between the Eugene Talmadge Bridge and the Hoolahan Bridge, but the Georgia Ports Authority said terminal operations “suffered no negative impacts and the Garden City Terminal remains open for business.”
   GPA said its staff provided assistance to various emergency response groups throughout the night. GPA Port Police coordinated efforts to help family members, direct traffic and support those leading the rescue efforts. It is also staging a blood drive to help replenish the local blood supplies in the wake of the explosion at the sugar refinery.
   Officials had not determined what caused the explosion, but sugar dust can be explosive.
   Press reports say 95 to 100 people were believed to be working in the area of the explosion and that at least 40 people were taken to hospitals, some airlifted to a burn center in Augusta, 130 miles up the Savannah River.