Firefighters responded to reports of smoke at the eight-story building about 45 minutes before the blast.

Firefighters responded to reports of smoke at the eight-story building about 45 minutes before the blast.

The fatal explosion at an energy plant Sunday is the latest among the violent events of the last year that have thrust Middletown into an uncomfortable glare.

Mayor Sebastian N. Giuliano of Middletown, Conn., said the local police had been issued a warrant to search for signs of what caused the explosion at the Kleen Energy Systems plant.

There has been no major regulatory change to directly address the issue of where gas should be vented during construction or maintenance.

The five men killed in the explosion were coaches and leaders, self-appointed statesmen of the cities where they lived.

No one else was believed to be buried in the rubble of a power plant that exploded Sunday, leaving the death toll at five, the mayor said.

No one else was believed to be buried in the rubble of a Connecticut power plant that exploded Sunday, leaving the death toll at five, the mayor said on Monday.

Amid the power plant’s twisted beams and cracked flooring, officials suspended the search for survivors early Monday, fearing for the rescue workers’ safety.

Electrical explosions blew manhole covers into the air, disrupted subway service, and caused about 180 residences in Brooklyn Heights to be evacuated because of high carbon monoxide readings.