Undefeated Explosion Lawyers
A Chase Bank employee died tragically yesterday afternoon when a possible natural gas explosion tore through a building in the Central Square area of Youngstown, Ohio.
Seven other people were hurt in the Youngstown bank explosion, one critically.
Youngstown Explosion Destroyed Facade of Realty Tower
The blast erupted shortly before 3:00 p.m. at the 13-story Reality Tower, located at 47 E. Federal Street in downtown Youngstown, just 58 miles southeast of Cleveland.
The force of the massive explosion ripped off the building’s facade and sent the first floor into the basement.
“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,’” one witness told the local CBS affiliate.
Realty Tower Also Housed Apartments
Realty Tower housed the Chase Bank on the first floor, while apartments took the remaining 12 floors. In the aftermath of the explosion, those units, as well as all neighboring structures within a 360-degree radius of the building, were evacuated.
One resident of the Realty Tower told the CBS affiliate that upon attempting to evacuate his apartment, he became trapped in a stairwell for more than 15 minutes before crews were able to dig him out.
“When I got to the lobby, there was kind of like a metal gate door that had been bowed in, and the rubble from the lobby… the broken-up rock and marble had jammed itself, so I was there with my cat in a carrier kind of trying to push the door open,” the resident said.
As of this morning, Youngstown authorities were still warning people to avoid the blast area.
27-Year-Old Man Died in Youngstown Bank Explosion
Paramedics transported seven people to Mercy Health following the Youngstown bank explosion.
As of today, one person remains hospitalized in critical condition, reportedly on a ventilator. Three others are still hospitalized in stable condition, and three were treated and released.
A 27-year-old Chase Bank employee was reported unaccounted for after the blast. Sadly, rescue crews discovered his remains in the rubble shortly before 1:00 a.m. on Wednesday.
“The JPMorgan Chase family mourns the loss of our colleague,” Chase Bank said in a statement released earlier today. “Our hearts go out to their family as well as our injured employees, their families and other affected by this tragedy. We will continue to work with local officials to support them.”
Realty Tower Construction Crew Reported Gas Leak Before Explosion
So far, it’s not clear what caused the Youngstown bank explosion.
However, moments before the blast, a construction crew working in the basement heard a hissing noise and called 911 to report a natural gas leak. The workers managed to exit the building just before it exploded.
The Ohio Fire Marshall’s Office is leading the investigation with the Youngstown police and fire departments. As of this morning, crews were still working to determine whether or not there was a leak.
Enbridge Gas Ohio shut off gas to the Realty Tower and the entire block it occupies shortly after the explosion. According to the company, gas service will not be restored until the building has been inspected and a structural engineer has given the all-clear.
Youngstown Blast Echoes Fort Worth Sandman Hotel Explosion
The blast that ripped through Realty Tower in Youngstown bears several similarities to the Sandman Signature Hotel explosion, which injured more than two dozen people and destroyed the historic W.T. Waggoner Building in downtown Fort Worth this past January.
Like the Youngstown bank explosion, the Sandman Hotel explosion originated in the basement, and the building was under construction at the time. Fort Worth fire officials have since confirmed that natural gas was involved, as the smell of gas was widely reported in the area following the blast.
Our Fort Worth Sandman Hotel Explosion Lawyers are currently representing 19 employees and hotel guests who were seriously injured in that incident, and we’ve been working with safety experts and state and local authorities across Texas to determine the cause of this preventable tragedy.
To learn about our success representing other explosion victims throughout the United States, please visit our “Results” page or Click Here to see what our clients have said about their experience with our firm.
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If you or someone you love was hurt in the Youngstown bank explosion, please call 1-888-603-3636 or Click Here to send us a confidential email via our “Contact Us” form.
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