A video published by American media showed a violent explosion that occurred on Tuesday evening at a bank in downtown Youngstown, Ohio, injuring seven people. The WFMJ channel reported that the explosion happened around 2:45 PM local time on the first floor of a 13-story building on E. Federal Street, which houses a Chase bank.
It was indicated that the cause of the explosion was gas. Surveillance footage captured the powerful explosion that shattered windows and sent debris flying across the street, followed by a thick cloud of smoke engulfing the building, with the first floor seemingly completely destroyed.
According to Mercy Health Hospital in Youngstown, seven people were taken to the hospital, including one in critical condition. Meanwhile, one person is still reported missing, according to Fire Chief Barry Finley. The missing person's wife told investigators he went to work in the building on Tuesday morning, while WKBN reported that rescue crews have been unable to locate him under the rubble.
The Youngstown Police Department has asked people to stay away from the area, and several floors of the building above the bank are residential apartments that were evacuated by response teams. Residents in the area reported a deafening noise followed by a smell of gas.
