Firefighters responded to a massive fire after a gas line explosion in central Ohio on Wednesday.
Authorities say no injuries were reported in the blast that occurred at a Columbus strip mall.
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“It sounded like a bomb going off,” John Barker told WCMH. “I’ve heard a lot of explosions, being overseas, military, prior military experience. That’s pretty damn loud.”
City fire Battalion Chief Steve Martin says a company was using a machine to bore beneath the street when it struck a high-pressure gas line.
Workers at a Domino’s pizza restaurant and a nearby clinic fled the two buildings after smelling gas. The restaurant then exploded and a fire broke out.
“I didn’t know what it was at first,” said resident James McKinney. “I came outside and I saw the flames and the smoke and stuff, and then I heard the firemen, I saw people running across the street. It was crazy.”
Gas company crews eventually were able to reach an underground valve and shut off the gas about two hours after the explosion.
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