標題: killing two employees and severely injuring the owner. 17 [打印本頁] 作者: mlmgfqzo 時間: 2016-3-30 03:50 標題: killing two employees and severely injuring the owner. 17
investigation next steps after blast
WAYNE, Mich. (AP) Utility and fire officials turned their attention Thursday to investigating whether a natural gas explosion destroyed a suburban Detroit store, killing two employees and severely injuring the owner.
Consumers Energy spokeswoman Debra Dodd said crews worked overnight to repair a gas main behind Jeremy Scott Santa Cruz what had been William C. Franks Furniture store in Wayne and Cheap Monster Beats Australia removed a section of pipe for investigation.
She said it was not clear if the main was damaged in the explosion Wednesday morning or if it had been ruptured prior to the massive blast that flattened the family run business.
An investigation into Beats By Dre Studio Australia the cause could take weeks, if not months, she said.
"Nobody wants to jump to any conclusions," she said, but Beats By Dr Dre Studio added there are "things about it that are characteristic" of a natural gas blast.
Dodd said Louis Vuitton Handbags Prices the utility had received two calls of a possible gas leak in the area in the hours before the blast and that a worker had been trying to track down the source when the explosion took place.
Wayne Fire Chief Mel Moore said Thursday that fire officials had inspected the store about two weeks ago and found no major problems. Moore described the store as "neat and clean."
Workers rescued store owner Paul Franks shortly after the blast. Hospital spokeswoman Shantell Kirkendoll said he was in critical condition Thursday morning in the Louis Vuitton Sale Outlet burn unit at University of Michigan medical center in Ann Arbor.
On Wednesday night, search crews recovered the bodies of 64 year old store salesman James Zell and 54 year old clerical worker Leslie Machniak. Officials say both were from neighboring Westland.
The victims died of multiple injuries from the explosion and collapse of the concrete roof, the Wayne County medical examiner's office said. The blast was so huge that it shattered the windows of nearby businesses and was felt miles away.
Moore said crews were able to get to Franks because he was near the back of the building. The other victims were "trapped amid the debris" and unable to get out.
Dozens of firefighters and rescuers scoured the rubble for hours Wednesday in hopes of finding the Franks' employees alive.
Police evacuated businesses and homes near the store, and Consumers Energy offered hotel rooms to some residents for the night as a safety precaution. City officials late declared a state of emergency in a bid for financial help from the state.
Environmental Protection Agency officials sifted through the wreckage Thursday to check for signs of asbestos and other hazardous materials. Moore said crews would clear the area after the federal officials completed monitoring and testing at the site.
Early Thursday, before workers arrived, the main street through Wayne was largely quiet in contrast to the hectic and busy scene a day earlier. Large garbage bins lined the road where emergency vehicles had pulsed Wednesday.
Portions of the collapsed roof, rubble, and upended and broken furniture filled the store's shell. Debris encrusted armoires and entertainment centers still stood in one small area of the store spared from the collapse.
One framed piece of art still adorned a wall. The cinema themed picture read: "Live Life. There is No Take Two."
A "special sale" tag hung beneath it.
Franks' father founded the high end furniture store, which local residents said has been in business for more than 40 years. Mayor Al Haidous described the store as a "jewel" in the city.
Franks' family issued a statement through the hospital expressing appreciation for the support and concern of the community.
"We are focused on his care and treatment at this time and we ask that you respect our privacy. Our concern extends to all others affected by today's tragedy," the statement said.
City officials said Zell's family also Beats Australia asked for privacy.
Normalcy will be slow to return to the town.
Workers at the Northside TrueValue hardware store across from the wreckage waited for the "all clear" to open for business. It, too, bore the scars of Wednesday's disaster. Like other shops close to the furniture store, the hardware store lost some of its windows in the force of the blast.
