1 dead and several people injured after explosion in downtown Youngstown, Ohio

The explosion occurred in a building that housed a Chase Bank and 12 floors of apartments.

One person was killed and several others were injured after an explosion in downtown Youngstown, Ohio.

The Youngstown Police Department confirmed that the incident took place near Central Square on Tuesday, May 28. “Avoid the downtown area; stay away from the surrounding area to allow emergency personnel to address the situation unhindered,” the police department said in a statement shared on Facebook. .

According to ABC News, CBS News and local media outlet WKBN, one person was killed in the explosion and seven others were injured. A man’s body was recovered from the scene in the early hours of Wednesday morning, according to Youngstown Fire Chief Barry Finley, according to ABC News.

CBS News reported that the explosion occurred at the Realty Building on East Federal Street around 3 p.m. local time.

One person was seriously injured following the incident, which took place in a building that contained a Chase Bank on the ground floor and 12 floors of apartment units, according to ABC News.

Finley initially suggested there had been a natural gas explosion, the outlet reported, and said authorities were investigating to see if there was a gas leak. “The only thing I know for sure is that there was an explosion,” Finley said during a May 28 press conference.

A Chase Bank spokesperson told the outlet that the company was in “close contact with local officials to verify the safety of everyone in the building and area.”

“After that, we will work to determine what happened and assess the damage,” they added.

CBS News reported that the man whose body was recovered from the site was a 27-year-old man who worked at the bank.

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Fire Chief Barry Finley, the Ohio State Fire Marshal, Mercy Health and Chase Bank did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.

Damia Rizwan, who lives a block from where the explosion occurred, said it “felt like a mini earthquake,” according to CBS News.

“It was a loud explosion,” Rizwan added to the outlet. “My building shook.”

“My stomach dropped. I said this is different and this is not right. When I heard people screaming, I felt like something serious had happened,” Rizwan continued.

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