YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio — Youngstown officials announced Tuesday that an apartment building in downtown will be evacuated after an explosion in late May has made the a building structurally unsafe, and put another building at risk of harm.
Residents of International Towers were given three days to evacuate by city officials.
The explosion occurred on Tuesday, May 28 in the basement of the Realty Tower, collapsing part of the ground floor. The National Transportation Safety Board said a cut natural gas line was found the basement, but it's not known if that played a role in the blast.
The explosion killed 27-year-old Akil Drake, who was a Chase employee. Seven others were injured.
A structural engineering report submitted to city officials on Monday showed that the blast removed the horizontal support of three main columns of the Realty Tower, effectively changing its structure and is in "danger of imminent collapse."
Therefore, International Towers could be affected.
Youngstown Mayor Jamael Tito Brown said the reason as to why officials didn't warn residents sooner was because they had no evidence that the building needed to be evacuated at the time.
"Now that I have that report, I cannot in any way, shape or form ignore it," Brown said.
The report issued two recommendations: that the DoubleTree Hotel in Youngstown remain closed, and that residents in International Towers evacuate.
Local leaders say they hope most people can stay with family and friends, but the Red Cross, United Way and other nonprofits will people who are displaced.
Brown said the goal is to "make this move as easy as possible. It’s going to hurt; it’s not going to be easy for any of us.”
International Towers has 165 apartments, according to its website.