MCKEESPORT, Pa. — It’s quiet as pieces of a building sit on the ground in McKeesport. You can see lights hanging from the ceiling and broken glass cover the sidewalk as the businesses who called this home search for a new location.
PHOTOS: Explosion at McKeesport building after crews hit gas line during construction
“It’s surreal we are sitting here going is this really happening we are looking into the ceiling here,” said LaShawn Dspy.
Dspy looks at the YWCA building in McKeesport in disbelief. It was just six months ago he moved his business frybar into this spot and now everything inside is covered in rubble.
“All that is stuff we can get stuff back but the people I work with my staff the other people who work in the building the studio upstairs they weren’t there no one was in the building that was good,” Dspy said.
McKeesport leaders told Channel 11 it was around 8am when two contractors installing an ADA ramp out back struck the gas line causing an explosion that rocked the building.
“I started to come back and there was a gigantic explosion it rocked the car and everything,” said Pam Amicarella who was nearby when the explosion happened.
Bricks fell, glass shattered, and the city said the building is mostly destroyed.
“For about 10-15 minutes after the explosion you could still hear stuff crumbling and falling inside, it totally blew out the entire building,” Amicarella said.
While the fire marshal’s office continues to investigate, these owners are left waiting and looking for a new home.
“It was an accident I mean what are you going to do,” Amicarella said.
As for those two contractors, they were taken to the hospital. Right now, police are just waiting for a fencing company to rope off the building and area to keep people away until the investigation is complete.
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