Explosions at gas plant rock Florida A LARGE series of explosions has rocked a gas plant in the US state of Florida late on Monday, causing multiple casualties and forcing the evacuation of residents at least a mile away, authorities say. About two dozen people were working the night shift at Blue Rhino, a propane-tank business in Lake County, Florida. By 2am on Tuesday (1600 AEST), all employees were accounted for, said Lt John Herrell, a sheriff's office spokesman. There were no reports of fatalities, Herrell said. Seven people were taken to hospitals, he said. Two men were flown to Orlando Regional Medical Center with burns, a hospital spokeswoman said. They were in critical condition early on Tuesday. One man was in stable condition at Ocala Regional Medical Center. Three patients were sent to Florida Hospital Waterman, Herrell said. Two workers escaped the plant unharmed and were talking to chaplains, he said. The first explosions began a little before 11pm on Monday (1300 AEST Tuesday) at Blue Rhino and lasted for more than half an hour. The blasts began again about 12.30am on Tuesday in tractor-trailers loaded with pallets of propane tanks, Tavares fire chief Richard Keith said. Herrell said the plant, as of Monday, had about 53,000 20-pound propane cylinders on site. There is "no indication whatsoever" how the fire or explosions started, he said. "I heard loud boom sounds," said Lisa Garner, 43, who lives in Lakeside, a Tavares subdivision near the plant. The first blasts happened inside the plant, blowing the roof off, Lake County sheriff Gary Borders said. After the second round, Tavares fire chief Richard Keith pulled his firefighters out for fear that they would be injured. When the second round of explosions began close to midnight, and the fire spread to another part of the plant, Herrell said, fire officials had to pull their crews back a bit. The giant flames had subsided a bit by 1am, when Herrell met with reporters about a mile from the plant. "At this point, the fire personnel are doing what they can - their main concern is containing this fire, containing this scene," Herrell said, adding that fire officials believed the fire was "contained" shortly after 1am (1500 AEST). Herrell said at least 200 fire rescue, emergency and law enforcement officers from various agencies were assisting in the effort. "It's a very dangerous scene," Herrell said, adding that there were no reports of injuries among the first responders. All I know in speaking with the fire chief is they have to proceed very cautiously. The sight of flames was reported more than 8 kilometres away. The vibrations could be felt as far away as Mount Dora.