Good Friday afternoon to you from CNN.com headquarters in Atlanta. I’m Naamua Delaney, here’s a look at what’s happening NOW In The News.
6 workers’ bodies have been pulled from the rubble of the Dixie Crystals sugar plant near Savannah Georgia. About 100 people were working in the plant when it was rocked by an explosion last night. Dozens of workers were hurt in the blast and fire, many severely burned over most of their body. Firefighters are still trying to put out the last of the flames. They say the building is unstable and dangerous. Officials suspected the explosion was set off by sugar dust which can be volatile.
President Bush visited Lafayette,Tennessee today for a firsthand look at the area hardest hit by this week’s swarm of tornadoes. Late yesterday, he declared 5 Tennessee counties major disaster areas, clearing the way for Federal financial aid. This morning he promised that help is on the way.
….to listen, to determine, you know, to make sure the federal response is compassionate and effective. I don’t want people to think something is gonna happen that is not gonna happen, therefore when we say something’s gonna happen to help them get their feet back on the ground, it will happen, ”
Three days after the storm, officials say there are still hundreds of people who remain unaccounted for in Macon county Tennessee alone. But they think many of them may be in hotels or staying with relatives.
The White House Visitor Center which attracts millions of tourists every year was evacuated today. Officials say a small amount of ammonia spilled in a nearby storage shed and some of the chemical fumes leaked out. 9 people were hospitalized after complaining of irritated eyes, nausea and vomiting. Chemical and biological experts from the Secret Service along with the D.C. Fire Department were on the scene. A spokesman says it turned out to be a minor manageable spill that was contained within the shed.
A makeshift memorial now sits on the steps of the City Hall in a St.Louis suburb where a man killed 5 people before police killed him. The victims included 2 police officers and 3 city officials. The gunman identified as Charles Cookie Thornton had a long-standing feud with the city government and recently lost a free-speech lawsuit against the city. He burst into a city council meeting last night. 2 people were wounded. The city’s mayor is in serious condition and a reporter who was covering the meeting is listed in satisfactory condition.
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