MARCH 3, 2015
DETROIT, MICHIGAN (WWJ)
Authorities have swarmed an industrial neighborhood on
Detroit’s east side where an explosion was reported at a commercial building,
trapping at least one person inside.
The situation unfolded just before 9 a.m. Tuesday at
National Fleet Services at Grinnell and Grace avenues, off Gratiot Avenue just
north of I-94.
“It appears to have been a natural gas leak, compressed
natural gas,” said Second Deputy Fire Chief Craig Daughtrey. “The
contractor there does conversions, converts gasoline vehicles to natural gas
vehicles, and one of their tanks exploded, it appears.”
Reporting live from the scene, WWJ’s Mike Campbell said all
four walls of the bottom portion of the building were completely blown out
in the explosion, which also created a large fire.
Daughtrey said only three people were inside the
building at the time and all have been transported to local hospitals, although
the severity of their injuries is unknown. One person was briefly trapped
inside the building before being rescued. Another was reportedly thrown
from the building due to the force of the explosion.
DTE Energy officials, police, fire, EMS and HAZMAT crews are
on the scene. Officials are evaluating yellow bins around the building that
apparently hold compressed natural gas. Power lines are also down and laying
across puddles of water and snow, further complicating the situation.
Officials on the scene say tensions remain high because
another explosion could happen at any moment.
“Right now, we just want to keep everybody back just to be
safe. Another explosion is possible, you never know, so it’s better to be
prepared for the worst,” said one firefighter.
According to their website, National Fleet Services is an
authorized compressed natural gas (CNG) modifier for the Ford Motor Company.
The company converts vehicles to run on compressed natural gas and liquid
propane gas.
A cause of the explosion remains under investigation.
Source: www.detroit.cbslocal.com