Seven injured, one person dead following building explosion in Ohio
UPDATE (12:47 PM): Officials in Youngstown held a press conference on Wednesday to address the fatal explosion.
At least seven people were injured after a gas leak explosion blew out the first floor of the building.
Officials say the body of 27-year-old Chase Bank employee Akil Drake was found in the rubble, and everyone else is accounted for.
"My prayers and my thoughts go out to the young man who we found in the bank...to his family, his co-workers, my heart goes out to them," said Tito Brown, Mayor of Youngstown.
The explosion prompted several road closures and Youngstown Police told residents to avoid downtown.
However, officials say that city plans to move forward with Saturday's Streetscape event, where nearly 1,000 volunteers perform landscaping.
"Obviously, there won't be any activity in the restricted area, but the other areas of the city...I think the city needs that right now. I think we do need to do our duty here and get the city beautified," said Chief Carl Davis with the Youngstown Police Department (YPD).
Chase Bank released a statement noting that the company is mourning the loss of a colleague, and says that the company will continue to work with local officials.
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (NBC, KYMA/KECY) - At least seven people were injured and two others are believed to be missing following a building explosion in Youngstown, Ohio on Tuesday.
The blast happened shortly before 3:00pm Eastern. It blew off the facade of Realty Tower in downtown Youngstown.
Firefighters helped some people get out of the building which was a Chase Bank on the ground floor and apartments on the upper floors.
According to authorities, the blast collapsed the first floor into the basement.
The building's structural integrity is in question so no firefighters were being allowed in to conduct a search.
At least two people are unaccounted for.
The seven injured individuals were taken to a local hospital, with at least one of them is in critical condition.
