YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (KDKA) — One person died, another was unaccounted for and several others were injured when an explosion caused extensive damage to a building in downtown Youngstown, Ohio, Tuesday afternoon.
A body of a man was recovered from the spot early Wednesday morning, according to WKBN. The 27-year-old man was a bank employee.
One woman is still missing, but Youngstown Fire Chief Barry Finlay says the woman’s car was not at the scene and she has not been identified at any hospital in the area, so it’s unclear if she was in the building when the explosion occurred.
The chief said the blast occurred around 3pm at the Realty Building on East Federal Street.
Seven people were taken to hospital, one of whom is on a ventilator.
Photos show damage to the front of the building And the façade is broken. Underneath this building is a Chase bank and upper apartments. Residents were evacuated after the explosion.
WKBN
People reported smelling gas and booming, but the cause was unknown, the fire chief said. CBS affiliate WKBN As construction workers were working in the basement, they heard a commotion, smelled gas and ran outside before the building exploded.
Finley says before firefighters go in, they have to wait until the building is deemed safe. Authorities said a man and a woman were missing.
“We had the sheriff’s department send a mini drone into the basement — he said there was nothing to see,” Finley said. “The floor collapsed on itself, there’s nothing to see, it’s full of water. So honestly, we don’t know if the person is down there or not. Once we get clearance to get into the building, we will.”
KTKA
Emergency officials have asked people to avoid the area until further notice. Ilanjezhiyan police said, “The situation is being managed seriously. Structural engineers and Enbridge Gas workers were called to the scene Tuesday.
The Ohio State Fire Marshal is leading the investigation.
Witnesses describe the explosion in downtown Youngstown, Ohio
Damia Rizwan lives a block away from the site of Tuesday’s blast. Rizwan said it felt like a small earthquake.
“It was a big bang,” Rizwan said. “My building shook.”
“My stomach dropped,” Rizwan added. “I said it’s weird, it’s not right. When I heard people screaming, it was like something serious had happened.”
Another witness to the explosion, Taylor Botsford, also described the moment.
“A lot of emotion right now because a friend of mine was at the bank down the street and he went to grab people and I don’t know — I didn’t see him,” Botsford said.
Youngstown is about an hour from Pittsburgh near the Pennsylvania-Ohio border.
