A massive explosion ripped through an Ohio bank building Tuesday afternoon, injuring multiple people, according to local media.
Around 3:00 p.m. the Chase Bank, located at the base of a structure in Youngstown, Ohio, suddenly exploded, blasting debris out the front windows as street cameras captured the carnage. According to local outlet WFMJ, reports indicate that the incident may have been caused by a gas leak, though information remains limited.
Following the incident, emergency crews hurried to the site pull people out of apartments located at the top portion of the structure. Seven people have already been rushed to a local hospital with one allegedly in critical condition, Mercy Health told WFMJ in a statement. (RELATED: Explosion At Mobile Home Kills Two, Blast Heard For Mile)
“I heard the boom, and I looked up and I could see dark smoke coming out of the side of the Chase Bank building… but it was such a really strong, strong boom, you know, I blurted out, ‘Oh my God,'” Debora Flora, the executive director of downtown Youngstown’s Mahoning County Land Bank, told WKBN.
Here is the dramatic security video of the explosion at the Chase Bank Building in downtown Youngstown. pic.twitter.com/QdapO52uME
— 21 WFMJ (@21WFMJ) May 28, 2024
Officials have cautioned occupants and local media on site to move away from the building due to a possible collapse, and Youngstown Fire Chief Barry Finely issued an evacuation order for the neighboring buildings as well, according to WFMJ.
Finley also noted that one person remains unaccounted for. “Right now, what we’re waiting on, we have the water shut off, we have the gas shut off, we’re waiting for Ohio Edison to come and shut the power off so that we can get down there to do some sort of search so that we can find him,” he said, according to WKBN.
