MIDDLETOWN, Conn. -- Everyone who was inside the Kleen Energy power plant in Middletown at the time of Sunday's explosion has been accounted for, officials said.

The explosion killed five and injured 12 late Sunday morning at the Kleen Energy plant on River Road.

Search crews remained at the plant until 2:30 a.m. Monday, searching for anyone who may be trapped beneath rubble at the plant. Officials said about 100 people were in the building at the time of the explosion.

Rescue teams combed through the debris through the day Sunday, and said that despite sifting through 90 percent of the area, there is a portion of the collapsed plant that is too dangerous to dig through. Piles of rubble were 10 feet tall in some parts of the plant, and mounds of rubble and debris were everywhere, he said.

Middletown Mayor Sebastian Giuliano described the plant as looking like Chernobyl after the explosion.

"We had dogs in the building last night, and I think the dogs would have detected any noise," Middletown Deputy Fire Marshal Al Santostefano said.

The explosion occurred during a test as crews purged a natural gas line inside the plant. Workers told Eyewitness News that the pipes rumbled and that the rumblings got louder before the blast. The back wall of one of the plant's buildings collapsed, its steel walls blown off. The company was working to get the plant running by this summer. When completed, the 620-megawatt plant would be the largest of its kind New England.

About 100 members of fire crews from multiple departments worked for about an hour to extinguish the blaze, and then began the search and rescue effort. State and federal investigators arrived at the site Monday morning to determine the explosion's cause.

Several victims of the explosion remained hospitalized Monday morning. Middlesex Hospital said nine patients remained in its care, two victims were at Hartford Hospital and one was at Yale New Haven Hospital.

Five people are confirmed dead. One of those confirmed dead is the former Old Saybrook police Commissioner Raymond Dobratz, a plumber.

"His contributions to our community were great and this terrible loss will be felt by many who had the privilege of knowing and working with him," said Old Saybrook police Chief Michael Spera. "The men and women of the Department of Police Services extend our condolences, support and prayers to the Dobratz family and to all who suffered injury or loss in today's tragedy."

Also killed in the blast was former Colchester Board of Finance member Ron Crabb.

Tom Alferi, who worked at the site one day before the explosion, knew Crabb.

"He was doing his required job, he was doing instrumentation work," Alferi said. "The only thing I can think is he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. He was a young man with his life ahead of him. A good hard worker and just a great guy. Great family man. It's tragic."

The other victims killed in the blast were identified on Monday afternoon by Middletown police. They were identified as:

Peter Chepulis, of Thomaston; Roy Rushton, of Hamilton, Ontario Canada and Chris Walters, of Florissant, Missouri.

Crabb was a member of the Colchester Board of Finance from 2003 until last November. His wife, Jodi Thomas, is a probate judge for Colchester and Lebanon.

Those who survived the blast are now left dealing with witnessing the tragedy. Evelyn Korpaks said her fiance, David, called her as he was escaping the building.

"He saw a flash ... though it was his last call and to make sure I got it. He saw bodies and debris flying," Korpaks said.

Korpaks' fiance is a union contractor who works for O & G Industries. She said she told him to get to a safe place and call her back.

"So for the next hour I was on pins and needles," she said.

Korpaks said David returned her call, but said he knew three of the five who were killed.

"He just kept saying, 'I can't believe I lost friends,'" Korpaks said.

Giuliano said the city was offering assistance for families affected by the explosion.

The American Red Cross has opened a line for those affected by the blast. Anyone looking for counseling or information on loved ones can contact the Red Cross by dialing 860-347-2577.

The explosion was so powerful, that residents towns away reported hearing it and said they felt tremors in their homes. Residents in Naugatuck, Higganum, Meriden and Prospect reported hearing the blast. Windows of several homes in Portland were blown out in the explosion.

Donald Harmon can see the plant from the living room of his Portland home. He said he was outside talking with a neighbor at the time of the explosion.

"I saw the building. I saw the fire go through the building. It broke a window right here for me, but that's all," he said."

Middletown Mayor Sebastian Giuliano said that anyone whose home or business was damaged in the blast should contact Old Republic Insurance, O&G's insurance company, by dialing 1-888-310-9542.

Giuliano also said that multiple crisis hotlines were being established. Middletown is offering the services of its employee assistance contractor for families. That was established by the Lexington Group at 1-888-571-0197.

Local Pipefitters 777 also set up a hotline for their employees. They can be reached at 1-888-545-5101.

Starting Monday, the Salvation Army will be providing crisis counseling at Middletown City Hall on DeKoven Drive through Thursday. Families who were affected were asked to stop by city hall for assistance.

The U.S. Chemical Safety Board, a federal agency that investigates industrial chemical accidents, was mobilizing a team of workers from Colorado and hoped to have them on the scene by midday Monday, spokesman Daniel Horowitz said.

A victim's family fund has been established through the mayor's office. Donations can be made to: Families of Kleen Energy Tragedy
MiddConn Federal Credit Union
213 Court St., Middletown CT 06457 860-638-5360