Month: July 2025

Officials confirmed on Wednesday that three people, a man and two children, were killed in after a catastrophic explosion at a Nebraska biofuels plant.

Fremont fire crews responded to calls of the explosion, which occurred midday Tuesday at Horizon Biofuels, a manufacturer of fuel pellets and animal bedding located in Fremont, Neb. at 950 S. Union St., about 50 miles northwest of Omaha, at 11:56 a.m. CDT.

Fremont Fire Chief Todd Bernt said at a news conference that in the immediate aftermath, three people remained missing as initial rescue efforts were stymied by the fire and structure concerns. “We are unable to gain access early on,” Bernt said. “We tried to get access, but just due to the collapse with the mangled steel, we’re unable to get inside.”

Pictures of the building posted online by Nebraska State Trooper Tom Hicken show the building sustained significant damage, with the top floors appearing to have been completely destroyed.

It was later confirmed that the missing individuals, identified as two girls under the age of 12 as well as an adult man, were dead, per The Associated Press. The man was an employee, who was in building with two girls both believed to be under the age of 12 when the explosion occurred. Their names are not being released at this time.

Fremont Mayor Joey Spellerberg said during a press conference: “The two children were there just waiting for him to get off to go to a doctor’s appointment .. My heart hurts. It hurts for this situation, which is a tragedy. We pray for all the families involved.”

Nebraska Task Force One program manager Ashley Engler said during Wednesday’s briefing that crews continued to battle an active fire on Wednesday, as well as assess how to safely access the building to recover the victims. The steel warehouse is becoming more unstable as the fire continues to burn, she added, stating: “We are using all search and rescue resources and capabilities we have, including structural engineers, to obtain access in a safe manner to get to these to these victims.”

Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen said in a statement: “We will continue to closely monitor the explosion in Fremont in coordination with local responders, law enforcement, and state partners. Our thoughts and prayers are with all involved — and we’re ready to help any way we can.”

Editorial credit: Jacob Boomsma / Shutterstock.com

The Federal Reserve said on Wednesday that it’s keeping its benchmark interest rate steady, citing elevated uncertainty over the nation’s economic outlook.  The announcement comes just days after President Trump made a visit to the central bank, calling for a rate cut. The decision keeps the Fed’s benchmark short-term rate at a range of 4.25% to 4.5% for a fifth straight meeting.

The Federal Open Market Committee, the 12-person central bank’s rate-setting panel, said in its statement: “Although swings in net exports continue to affect the data, recent indicators suggest that growth of economic activity moderated in the first half of the year. The unemployment rate remains low, and labor market conditions remain solid. Inflation remains somewhat elevated.”

The 9-2 vote saw two FOMC members, Fed Governors Michelle Bowman and Christopher Waller, voted in favor of lowering the central bank’s short-term rate; marking the first time since 1993 that two member of the Fed’s Board of Governors have voted against the chair.

Speaking at a press conference in Washington, D.C., Fed Chair Jerome Powell said on Wednesday that. he advocated for the independence of the Federal Reserve. Powell said that “political independence gives central bankers the ability to make these very challenging decisions in ways that are focused on the data, the evolving outlook, the balance of risks – and not on political factors. If you were not to have that, there’d be a great temptation of course to use interest rates to affect elections, for example. I think it’s very important.”

Powell added that tariffs had begun to contribute to price increases for some goods but the ultimate impact of the policy remains uncertain: “Higher tariffs have begun to show through more clearly into prices of some goods but their overall effects on inflation and the economy remain to be seen. Their effects on inflation could prove to be short-lived, but it is possible the inflation effects could be more persistent. We’ll do what we need to do to keep inflation under control.”

Editorial credit: miss.cabul / Shutterstock.com