At least 1 dead in Fla. water plant blast

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., Jan. 11 (UPI) -- At least one worker was killed and two were seriously injured when a tank holding toxic fumes exploded at a Daytona Beach water-treatment plant.

Lt. John King of the Daytona Beach Fire Department said firefighters had to put the blaze out with unmanned hoses because of the chemicals, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

He said flames were shooting into the air.

Three other workers suffered minor injuries.

The workers were using a cutting torch on top of a shed at Bethune Point Treatment Plant when a tank inside exploded.

Two workers -- one with burns on 100 percent of his body, the other on 80 percent -- were taken to Halifax Medical Center. One was eventually airlifted to Orlando Regional Medical Center.

City officials are looking into what the chemicals were used for. One tank had methanol, the other sodium bisulfate.