Loud explosion rocks several South Jersey communities

💥Explosion heard for miles

💥5 people injured

💥Shelter-in-place was requested for a 2-mile radius

LOGAN — An explosion inside a building in a Gloucester County industrial park on Wednesday afternoon that was reportedly heard for miles injured multiple people.

Gloucester County Emergency Management said the explosion happened on Heron Drive.

Video showed black smoke rising from the Savita Naturals building on Heron Drive. The building suffered extensive damage along with a neighboring facility.

Rebecca Forand with the Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office told NJ.com that four people were critically injured. 6 ABC Action News reported that one of those injured is the owner of the facility. A person who was in another building was also injured, according to what Forand told NJ.com.

Buildings and residents within a 2-mile radius of Heron Drive and High Hill Road inside the Pureland Industrial Complex were asked to shelter-in-place, but that request was canceled around 5 p.m.

Savita Naturals is “a provider of specialty oil extraction and related services with an emphasis on unique solutions, quality service and quick response," according to its website.

Forand told NJ.com that while several propane tanks were located on the roof, the cause of the explosion is still under investigation.

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Explosion felt in several towns

Eyewitnesses say they saw a plume of black smoke from the New Jersey Turnpike and Route 295. People in Logan Township, Clayton, Chester, and Harrison are reporting that their homes shook at the time of the explosion.

David Elze told CBS Philadelphia he estimated the flames from the initial explosion shot 30 feet into the air.

Fire and hazmat units remain on location to monitor a burn off of additional fuel product stored on-site. Air monitoring in the community will also continue into the evening.

The exact origin of the explosion is not clear.

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