They aren't sure if the workers were filling 40 or 100 pound tanks at the time. Several of those tanks blew up and rocketed around the area.
Officials say if larger tanks had blown up, the situation could have been worse.
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The Butler County Sheriff's Department has released the names of the victims of Tuesday's blast at Global Propane.
40-year-old Jeffrey Burnham of Wichita was killed in the explosion. 25-year-old Jeremy W. Kessler of Wichita remains in critical conditoin at Via Christi Hospital. And Barry Long of Newton was treated and released.
All three are employees of Global Propane.
Also new, the sheriff says there is still a minimal threat at the scene because of the gas. Because of that, they're keeping people away from the site for the time being.
The Butler County Emergency Management Direcotr says several agencies are on the scene to investigate, including the State Fire Marshal, an explosives expert, OSHA and the Butler County Sheriff.
There is still no word on the cause.
Stay with Eyewitness News and www.KWCH.com for the latest information as it becomes available.
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Butler County Fire Officials and the Butler County Sheriff’s Department are allowing all evacuated residents to return homes and SW Butler Road has been opened up following yesterday’s deadly explosion at Global Propane.
The sheriff says no one is allowed on the property where the fire originated so fire investigators can look into a cause.
One of the three people injured in Tuesday afternoon's propane explosion has died. Another patient remains hospitalized in serious condition. The third person who was hurt was treated and later released.
Overnight, most of the residents who were evacuated were allowed back into their homes.
Authorities have not released any details on what may have caused the blast.
Fire crews are still on the scene Wednesday morning.
Stay with Eyewitness News and www.kwch.com for continuing coverage of the blast.
Click here to see photos.
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Firefighters are working to put out a fire from multiple explosions at Global Propane Energy, LLC near Rose Hill, at the 13000 block of SW Butler Road. Firefighters from Butler and Sedgwick County are working to put out the fire.
The Butler County Emergency Manager, Jim Schmidt, says they have a firefighter up with the LifeTeam in a helicopter assessing the situation so that fire crews can go in and attack the propane fire.
Schmidt says three houses are on fire. Firefighters are trying to get to those homes right now and put them out.
Multiple people have been injured including three burn victims. Emergency crews are evacuating a half a mile radius.
Via Christi on St. Francis hospital in Wichita confirmed they have three patients from the Butler County explosion, one in critical condition, one in serious condition and one in good condition.
The evacuation boundaries are as follows: SW Prairie Creek on the East, 159th on the West, SW 140th on the South, SW 130th on the North. 159th is closed from MacArthur to Pawnee.
The Butler County Sheriff Kelly Herzet has asked people to avoid the area Southwest of 150th to Harry Street on Butler Road.
The Sheriff says there are too many helicopters in the air and they need the airspace.
The American Red Cross Midway-Kansas Chapter is being asked to evaluate sheltering needs for the affected community.
James Williams from the Red Cross says volunteers are setting up a shelter and reception center at the Andover United Methodist Church, located at 1429 N. Andover Road. It is for people who have been forced to evacuate and are awaiting information.
There is a second propane tank incident in Kechi at the 9200 block of N. Hydraulic, just north of Kansas Coliseum. Initial reports suggest that a cap popped off the tank. There is no fire.
