Seattle gas explosion levels buildings, injures firefighters

SEATTLE (AP) — A natural gas explosion rocked a Seattle neighborhood early Wednesday, destroying several businesses and sending nine firefighters to a hospital.

Crews were responding to reports of a natural gas leak when the explosion occurred along a main thoroughfare north of downtown, Seattle Fire Department spokeswoman Corey Orvold said.

The cause was under investigation. There were no reports of any other injuries or anyone missing. Dogs were being used to go through the rubble just in case.

Video surveillance from the Olive and Grape Mediterranean Restaurant showed a bright flash at 1:43 a.m. and then the room shakes as debris falls from the ceiling. A large garage door covering the restaurant’s front windows protected it from extensive damage.

“The Olive and Grape was lucky,” owner Paola Kossack told The Associated Press in an email.

Bike shop owner Davey Oil said he arrived soon after the fire trucks.

“There were tons of flames leaping over what was already the rubble of Neptune coffee, which as you can see now totaled, gone,” he said.

Crews were still dousing an active flame with foam as the Greenwood neighborhood awakened.

Residents were checking out the damage along with the rubble and glass that littered the streets. Workers from one cafe damaged in the blast poured coffee for firefighters.

Among the businesses damaged or destroyed were Neptune Coffee, Mr. Gyro and the bike shop G&O Family Cyclery. An apartment building and another nearby residential structure were evacuated.

“Our block is a pretty close-knit block and this is pretty terrible,” Oil said.

Chocolati Cafe manager Darla Weidman said she was relieved the blast occurred overnight instead of 11 a.m. when the shop sometimes is packed with people.

“I know neighbors will do everything they can to support these businesses as they begin the long and challenging task to recover and repair from this incident,” Seattle Mayor Ed Murray said in a statement. “The city will also be there to do what we can.”

Puget Sound Energy spokeswoman Akiko Oda said gas service for the impacted buildings was shut off about an hour after the blast and the shutdown was later expanded.

The utility said it completed leak surveys for the block around the area and no leaks were found.

Oda says it will take time to determine what caused the explosion and the utility will be working with the Seattle Fire Department in the investigation.

Pipeline safety investigators from the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission were also on site.

Harborview Medical Center spokeswoman Susan Gregg said eight firefighters and a battalion chief were treated at the facility. None of the eight men and one woman was admitted to the hospital.

“We didn’t have anybody with burns, nothing life-threatening, nothing major” said Gregg, adding that some firefighters were checked out because the blast was so powerful that it pushed them back.