A bank employee was discovered dead and seven others were hurt after a natural gas explosion that rocked a downtown Youngtown, Ohio building.
The body of 27-year-old Akil Drake was recovered from the rubble at around 11:30 p.m. Tuesday, authorities announced.
The explosion took place at about 2:45 p.m. Tuesday and completely destroyed the façade of Realty Tower, a building that houses a Chase Bank and several apartments.
The search for missing people was complicated by safety challenges as the building’s structure integrity had been greatly impacted by the blast.
One victim was said to be in critical condition at Mercy Health Hospital.
“Our hearts go out to their family as well as our injured employees, their families, and others affected by this tragedy,” JPMorgan Chase said in a statement.
Enbridge Gas Ohio said that its crews “shut off gas to entire block as a safety precaution. The cause (of the explosion) is not known at this time.”
“An investigation will be led by the State Fire Marshal’s Office, and we will assist in any way we can. This process can take time.”
“Our thoughts are with those who have been impacted by this event.”
