A powerful blast rocked downtown Youngstown, Ohio, resulting in injuries to seven individuals, with one in critical condition, and leaving two people missing. An incident took place near Central Square on Tuesday afternoon, leading authorities to advise people to stay away from the area.
The cause of the explosion is still uncertain, although early reports indicated it could have been a natural gas explosion. However, Youngstown Fire Chief Barry Finley later mentioned that investigations were still underway to determine if a gas leak was involved.
Mercy Health has confirmed that they are currently providing medical care to seven individuals who were injured in the explosion. Unfortunately, one person is in critical condition.
After thoroughly searching the affected building, it is unfortunate that a man and a woman, including an employee of the bank located in the building, are still missing. Search efforts are being assisted by a mini-drone to help locate the missing individuals, despite the challenges posed by a collapsed floor and flooded basement.
The building, which includes a Chase bank on the ground floor and residential units above, has been evacuated and surrounding streets closed indefinitely due to concerns about its structural integrity. Chase bank officials are working closely with local authorities to prioritise the safety of all individuals and evaluate the scale of the impact.
Currently, authorities have not discovered any indications of questionable behaviour connected to the explosion.