Fire is extinguished at South Jersey explosion site, but investigation into cause continues

Emergency responders extinguished the fire at Savita Naturals in Logan Township, N.J., late Thursday, and sealed off the cocoa butter processor’s remaining propane tanks, marking a step forward in the investigation into the massive explosion that rocked the region.

Concerns about the structural integrity of the building at 617 Heron Drive remain, and a detailed look into the site remains pending, Gloucester County officials said at a Friday news conference.

“It’s going to be a lengthy process,” said Logan Township Fire Chief Scott Oatman. “Especially as they get into the building to try to secure everything up.”

The blast occurred at about 2:35 p.m. Wednesday. In the wake of the explosion, four employees of Savita Naturals were taken by ambulance to area hospitals, three additional employees transported themselves to medical facilities, and one person from an adjacent business was taken to a hospital for an undisclosed medical emergency.

Three Savita Naturals employees remain in critical condition, and one was stable, officials said Friday. Conditions for the others injured were not immediately available.

“Our thoughts and prayers continue to go out to those that were injured, and their families,” said Logan Township Police Chief Joseph Flatley. “This is going to be a long road for them, we’re aware. And that’s the highest priority.”

At the time of the explosion, there were 14 employees on the site — a majority of whom were working in a structure at the front of the property. The explosion occurred in a rear structure, where three employees were located, officials said.

No criminal activity is suspected in the explosion, and no hazards were present to the community surrounding the facility as of Friday morning, officials said. Emergency responders continue to monitor air quality in the area.

In addition to the Savita Naturals building sustaining suspected structural damage, two adjacent businesses — fluid engineering firm Sulzer and a food bank known as Bishops’ Storehouse and Home Storage Center — were deemed uninhabitable, and cannot resume operations until repairs are completed. Officials said they had received reports of potential property damage as far as a mile away from the site, and continue to field calls from individuals who believe their buildings may have been impacted.

At the site of the explosion, however, several large propane tanks remain. Though not leaking, the tanks contain a total of about 500 gallons of liquid propane that will need to be burnt off or otherwise removed before the investigation can progress.

Officials on Friday described the explosion as an unfortunate accident, noting that Savita Naturals had incurred some fire inspection violations in the past, but the company was responsive and corrected issues quickly. No violations, Oatman said, were out of the ordinary, and none caused major concerns.

The building itself, Oatman added, was constructed in such a way that it would contain an explosion. Part of its construction included “blow out panels” that served their intended purpose.

“If it wasn’t for that type of construction they had there, there might have been more injuries,” Oatman said. “So, we’re fortunate that there were no more additional injuries at the facility.”

Officials also corrected reports that the building was used to process CBD, or cannabidiol, a nonintoxicating component of hemp and marijuana that has risen in prominence in recent years. While the facility has processed CBD in the past, none has been produced or extracted there since 2023, Oatman said. The propane on the site, as well as ethanol, he added, is used in cocoa extractions.

The cause of the explosion remains unclear. Officials said they were aware of speculation that a propane tank exploded, but investigators think the explosion occurred as a result of the processes inside the building, though that belief is preliminary.

How long that investigation might take was unclear Friday. The look into the blast remains in its early stages, and involves a number of state and federal partners.

“I’m not sure what happened in the building,” Oatman said. “That’s why investigators are going to do the investigation.”