Local and state fire investigators were sifting through the debris Thursday morning after a series of explosions occurred earlier at Hormel Foods.

Austin Fire Chief Dan Wilson said the first explosion occurred at 12:40 a.m. Thursday in the company's rendering department. Then, at 2:45 a.m., the fire department received word that a large explosion had occurred in the plant and an ambulance was needed.

Hormel Foods spokesperson

Julie Craven said five workers were injured, including both management and bargaining unit employees.

"Company managers are with the victims and their families today at the hospital," Craven said.

One worker was treated and released at Austin Medical Center and four others are being treated at Regions Hospital's burn unit in St. Paul, Craven said.

She said the names of the victims would not be released until all their families had been contacted, which would probably happen by noon today.

Craven said a maintenance worker and two plant supervisors were injured in the fire, but the positions of the other two workers were not immediately available.

Of the four people taken to Regions Hospital, one is in fair condition and the other three are in serious condition. "Our primary concern is for the employees right now."

Wilson said most of the department's 32 firefighters were at the scene, but no other fire departments were called to assist.

Wilson said there were a total of three small explosions at the plant, which was followed by the larger explosion. "At some point in time, the entire room was fully involved in fire," he said.

Wilson refused to speculate on the cause of the explosions, but did say "the fire was contained to that room and it spread to the roof some."

Wilson said the state fire marshal is assisting his department into the cause of the blaze. A company-issued release from Hormel's Web site said an additional state fire marshal will be investigating the fire today.

"It is too soon to determine the cause of the fire and the subsequent explosion," the release said. "The Austin plant is operating this morning. However, the Rendering Department is now closed, as are several neighboring departments until we are confident the area is completely safe."

The release confirmed employees extinguished a fire in the rendering department, but that the explosion occurred as the site was being cleaned up.

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