West Reading chocolate factory explosion victims identified

Berks County officials have released the names of the final five victims of an explosion at a West Reading chocolate factory.

The R.M. Palmer Co. plant on South Second Avenue exploded just before 5 p.m. Friday. The blast killed seven people.

At a press briefing Wednesday afternoon, Coroner John Fielding announced the names of five of those victims:

• Xiorky D. Nunez, 30, Reading

• Susan H. Halvonik, 63, Upper Providence Township, Montgomery County.

• Michael D. Breedy, 62, Marion Township.

• Diana M. Cedeno, 44, Reading.

• Judith Lopez-Moran, 55, Reading.

The coroner’s office on Monday released the names of the other two victims: Amy Sandoe, 49, of Ephrata and Domingo Cruz, 60, of Reading.

Fielding said Wednesday that the preliminary cause of death for all the victims were blast injuries. The manner of death has not yet been determined, and is pending the result of an extensive investigation that includes other agencies.

The cause of the fatal blast has not been determined. Both state police and the National Transportation Safety Board have announced they are investigating the incident.

Fielding said that the families of each of the victims was notified in person of their loved one’s death. He also said the delay in releasing the victims’ names was due to an overabundance of caution.

“We can do it right or we can do it fast,” he said. “No one wants to have a loved one reported as deceased before they’re deceased. We want to get it right.”