The R.M. Palmer Company explosion was a natural gas blast that destroyed Building Two of the chocolate manufacturer’s factory in West Reading, Pennsylvania on March 24, 2023, killing seven workers and injuring ten others. Federal investigators traced the cause to a degraded plastic gas fitting that cracked after being heated by a leaking underground steam pipe owned by Palmer, and they faulted both the company and gas utility UGI Corporation for failures that let the disaster happen and worsened it.
What Happened on March 24, 2023
At roughly 4:55 p.m., an explosion tore through Building Two of the R.M. Palmer factory on South Second Avenue.1CBS News Philadelphia. RM Palmer Company West Reading Candy Fire Cause About 70 production workers and 35 office staff were on site. The blast leveled Building Two, badly damaged Building One next door, and wrecked a neighboring apartment building that was later condemned and demolished, displacing three families. Property damage was estimated at $42 million. The response drew 30 fire companies, 15 law enforcement agencies, and nine EMS providers.2WFMZ. NTSB Issues Final Report on 2023 R.M. Palmer Chocolate Factory Explosion That Killed Seven
The Seven Workers Killed
The Berks County coroner identified the dead as Xiorky D. Nunez, 30; Susan H. Halvonik, 63; Michael D. Breedy, 62; Diana M. Cedeno, 44; Judith Lopez-Moran, 55; Amy S. Sandoe, 49; and Domingo Cruz, 60.3Reading Eagle. West Reading Chocolate Factory Explosion Coroner Releases Causes of Death Six died from blast injuries. Nunez died from thermal burns. All seven deaths were ruled accidental.4NBC Philadelphia. Autopsy Reveals Cause of Death for 7 Killed in Chocolate Factory Explosion
What Caused the Explosion
The National Transportation Safety Board published its final report, PIR-25-01, on March 18, 2025. It identified the probable cause as the degradation of a retired 1982 Aldyl A polyethylene service tee, a plastic gas fitting with a Delrin polyacetal insert, that had been capped during a 2021 pipeline replacement but left connected to the live gas main under full system pressure.5NTSB. Pipeline Investigation Report PIR-25-01
The failure unfolded as a chain. An underground steam pipe owned by R.M. Palmer, corroded, cracked, and unmarked, was leaking steam that raised ground temperatures around the gas fitting. Sustained heat cracked the Aldyl A tee through a combination of slow crack growth in the plastic shell and thermal decomposition of the Delrin insert. Natural gas then migrated underground and pooled in the basement of Building Two, where it ignited from a source investigators could not identify.6NBC Philadelphia. R.M. Palmer Chocolate Factory Explosion Cause Gas Leak NTSB Report
Who the NTSB Faulted
The NTSB spread responsibility across both the company and UGI. UGI’s Distribution Integrity Management Program failed to evaluate the risk posed by the steam pipe, and the utility had no procedures or training for field crews to report nearby sources of elevated temperatures. During the 2021 pipeline replacement, a UGI crew observed subsurface “white powder” near the service tee and was told by a Palmer employee about the steam pipe, but did not investigate further or notify integrity management staff.5NTSB. Pipeline Investigation Report PIR-25-01 Valve maintenance was also deficient. During the emergency, crews could not quickly shut off gas because at least one critical valve had been paved over and the utility had not properly documented valve locations.6NBC Philadelphia. R.M. Palmer Chocolate Factory Explosion Cause Gas Leak NTSB Report
R.M. Palmer had no emergency procedures specifically addressing natural gas hazards. Multiple employees reported smelling gas before the blast. No evacuation was ordered. The NTSB concluded that the company’s insufficient emergency procedures and employee training made the disaster worse than it would otherwise have been.7NTSB. PLD23LR002 Investigation Page
OSHA Citations Against R.M. Palmer
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited R.M. Palmer on October 5, 2023 for ten violations carrying a combined initial penalty of roughly $49,000.8U.S. Department of Labor. OSHA News Release 23-2106-PHI The lead citation was issued under OSHA’s General Duty Clause for failing to evacuate workers after reports of a gas leak. Other violations covered unmarked emergency exit signs, improper use of electrical flexible cords, and recordkeeping failures. OSHA Area Director Kevin T. Chambers said that “seven workers will never return home because the R.M. Palmer Co. did not evacuate the facility after being told of a suspected gas leak.”
The company initially said it would “vigorously contest” the citations, calling them “legally and factually unsupported.”9WVIA. OSHA Investigators Say R.M. Palmer Company Failed to Protect Workers Before Gas Explosion The matter was resolved through a formal settlement on October 5, 2023, with Palmer paying a total penalty of $65,464, including two serious violations assessed at $35,000 and eight additional violations totaling about $30,000.10OSHA. Inspection Detail 1659063.015
Regulatory Action Against UGI
On March 18, 2026, the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission filed a formal complaint seeking $2.6 million in civil penalties against UGI Utilities Inc.’s gas division, alleging that distribution facilities serving the Palmer factory violated state and federal safety standards.11WHYY. Pennsylvania Chocolate Factory Explosion Penalties Sought The PUC is also pushing UGI to expand its use of remote methane detectors, inspect older plastic pipe fittings more frequently, and strengthen its emergency response procedures. UGI issued a statement expressing sympathy and emphasizing its commitment to safe service but did not concede the allegations.
At the federal level, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration responded to the NTSB’s recommendations by issuing Advisory Bulletin ADB-2026-01 in January 2026. The bulletin advises all natural gas distribution operators to address the risk posed by Aldyl A service tees with Delrin inserts, including replacement or remediation, and encourages a one-time inventory of plastic pipeline assets in environments where elevated temperatures could cause degradation.12Federal Register. Pipeline Safety: Distribution Integrity Management Program Considerations for Plastic Piping
Lawsuits Filed by Families and Survivors
Families of the deceased workers and injured survivors began filing lawsuits within days of the explosion. By April 2023, suits had been filed in Philadelphia Common Pleas Court against both R.M. Palmer and UGI Utilities, alleging negligence and, in at least one wrongful death case, intentional misrepresentation. That claim alleged supervisors told workers the factory was safe despite reports of a gas leak.13WITF. Victims of R.M. Palmer Explosion Seek Accountability Early plaintiffs included the estate of Judith Lopez-Moran, a neighboring resident named Betty Wright who was injured and lost her home, and Mark Baxter, a tanker truck driver who suffered hearing loss and third-degree burns over 19 percent of his body.
By mid-2025, 27 lawsuits had been filed. The parties spent two years litigating the proper venue for the cases before the litigation moved forward.14Philadelphia Inquirer. RM Chocolate Factory Explosion Lawsuits Philadelphia Court No criminal charges have been filed against the company or any individuals in connection with the explosion.15Reading Eagle. West Reading Chocolate Factory Explosion Federal Investigation Blames R.M. Palmer Co. for Blast Deaths
Pennsylvania Legislation in Response
Three bills authored by Rep. Johanny Cepeda-Freytiz moved through the Pennsylvania House in response to the disaster. House Bill 1522 would require natural gas alarms in businesses, residences, and other buildings that use natural gas. House Bill 1525 would require owners of steam pipelines in public rights-of-way to register with the Pennsylvania One Call System. House Bill 1526 would direct the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission to work with gas pipeline operators on programs to manage degrading plastic pipes.16Reading Eagle. West Reading Chocolate Factory Explosion PA Legislation Addresses Natural Gas Safety Concerns
HB 1525 and HB 1526 passed the House in January 2026 and were referred to the Senate Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure Committee. HB 1522 passed the House on April 15, 2026, by a vote of 107–94, and was referred to the same Senate committee on April 23, 2026, where it remained as of mid-2026.17Pennsylvania General Assembly. HB 152218Penn Capital-Star. House Passes Gas Safety Package in Response to Deadly 2023 Chocolate Factory Blast Following the NTSB investigation, R.M. Palmer updated its employee manuals and installed natural gas detectors in its remaining buildings.196ABC. West Reading RM Palmer Chocolate Factory Explosion