An explosion occurred in downtown Youngstown, Ohio on Tuesday, May 28, destroying a significant portion of a building’s ground floor. The incident resulted in the death of a bank employee and injuries to 7 people, with one person in serious condition. Initially, law enforcement and emergency personnel attributed the cause to natural gas, but the fire chief later stated that the reason was under investigation.
Local authorities reported that around 2:45 pm on Tuesday, a building named Realty Tower near Central Square experienced a massive explosion. Part of the first floor collapsed into the basement, with the outer walls spanning across a street, which was cordoned off by orange construction fences. The 13-story building housed a Chase Bank branch on the ground floor and 12 floors of apartments above.
The explosion rattled the downtown area of Youngstown, affecting approximately 60,000 residents. The sidewalks were strewn with bricks, glass, and other debris.
Youngstown Fire Chief Barry Finley announced at a press conference on Tuesday that the floor collapsed into the basement and was flooded with water. Search teams worked to send small drones into the basement to assist in the search operation. Firefighters rescued several individuals and cleared the building to ensure no one else was injured.
Mercy Health Hospital reported on Tuesday evening that they were treating 7 injured individuals, with one person in critical condition.
Youngstown Police Department revealed on Wednesday that prior to the explosion, 27-year-old bank employee Akil Drake was seen inside the building. Drake’s body was eventually found in the basement.
JPMorgan Chase expressed condolences for Drake’s death and stated they would collaborate with local officials on follow-up actions. In a statement, the company expressed sympathy to Drake’s family, the injured employees, their families, and others impacted by the tragedy.
Authorities initially stated it was a natural gas explosion, but the fire chief later indicated that it was premature to draw conclusions regarding the cause.
Finley stated, “We don’t know the cause of the explosion. We only know that there was an explosion that caused significant damage to the bottom of the building.” He added, “There is currently not a single apartment in the building that is inhabitable.”
Due to the possibility of structural collapse, the building has been evacuated, and the surrounding streets have been indefinitely closed for traffic.
During a press conference on Wednesday, municipal officials mentioned that the state fire department was coordinating the investigation into the fire’s cause, and it is currently unclear when conclusions will be reached.