Unexpected Gas Leak Explosion Rocks Realty Building in Youngstown, Ohio: Seven Injured, Two Missing

Youngstown, Ohio United States of America
An explosion occurred at the Realty Building in Youngstown, Ohio on May 28, 2024.
Seven people were injured, with one requiring critical care, and two individuals are still missing.
The cause of the explosion is believed to be a gas leak.
The Realty Tower is a 13-story structure that includes condominiums and apartments on the upper floors.
Unexpected Gas Leak Explosion Rocks Realty Building in Youngstown, Ohio: Seven Injured, Two Missing

In the heart of Youngstown, Ohio, an unexpected event unfolded on May 28, 2024. An explosion rocked the Realty Building located at the corner of Market and East Federal Streets downtown. The cause remains under investigation but is believed to have been a gas leak.

The blast occurred in the first floor of the building which houses a Chase Bank branch. Seven people were injured, with one requiring critical care, and two individuals are still missing.

The Realty Tower is a 13-story structure that includes condominiums and apartments on the upper floors. The building was sold to Yo Properties 47 LLC in June 2018 for $2 million. Frangos Group, which developed the building, also sold several other downtown properties since then including the Stambaugh Building, Erie Terminal Place, Wick Building and former Chase Building.

The explosion was felt throughout the area and caused significant damage to both the Realty Tower and neighboring structures. Construction workers reported smelling gas beforehand. The structural integrity of the building is in question as a result of the explosion.

Fire Chief Barry Finley, who arrived at the scene shortly after, stated that everyone had been accounted for except for one man and one woman. Their whereabouts remain unknown.

The area has been evacuated and no one is allowed to enter either the Realty building or the Double Tree hotel nearby. However, residents of International Towers are permitted to return to their homes.

The Ohio State Fire Marshal is leading the investigation into this critical incident.



Confidence

80%

Doubts
  • Are all victims accounted for?
  • Is the gas leak the only cause of the explosion?

Sources

97%

  • Unique Points
    • Construction workers reported smelling gas before the explosion occurred.
    • One person is dead and another is missing after the explosion.
    • Seven people were injured and one of them is on a ventilator.
  • Accuracy
    • The cause of the explosion is unknown.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (95%)
    The article contains some instances of inflammatory rhetoric and an appeal to authority, but no formal or dichotomous fallacies are present. The authors use phrases like 'extensive damage', 'multiple people injured', and 'heavily damaged' to elicit an emotional response from the reader. They also quote the fire chief stating that they are waiting for clearance to enter the building and that there is nothing to see in the basement, implying that there may be more information or danger present. However, these statements do not constitute formal fallacies.
    • ]The explosion heavily damaged the first floor of the Realty Building in downtown Youngstown[
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

95%

  • Unique Points
    • At least one person has been reported dead.
    • Seven people were taken to the hospital with one in critical condition.
  • Accuracy
    • The explosion may have been caused by a natural gas leak.
    • The Realty building on E. Federal Street was damaged and the facade was blown off.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

98%

  • Unique Points
    • The explosion occurred at the Realty Tower building at the corner of Market and East Federal Streets downtown.
    • Chase moved into the Realty Tower in May 2021, downsizing from their previous location at 6 W. Federal St.
    • The first floor of the Realty Tower building houses a Chase Bank branch.
    • The Realty Tower is a 13-story building with condominiums and apartments on the upper floors.
    • The building was sold to Yo Properties 47 LLC in June 2018 for $2 million.
    • Frangos Group, which developed the building, sold several other downtown properties since then including the Stambaugh Building, Erie Terminal Place, Wick Building and former Chase Building.
  • Accuracy
    • An explosion occurred at the Realty Tower building at the corner of Market and East Federal Streets downtown.
    • Seven people were injured in the explosion.
    • The cause of the explosion is believed to be caused by a gas leak.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (95%)
    The article contains some inflammatory rhetoric and a few instances of appeals to authority, but no formal or blatant logical fallacies were found. The author does not make any assertions beyond reporting the facts and events surrounding an explosion at the Realty Tower building in downtown Youngstown.
    • ][Youngstown fire Chief Barry Finley] thinks one is a Chase Bank employee.[/
    • Dominion (Energy) is out here checking their lines.[
    • We know Dominion “is doing an assessment of all of their equipment, but right now all I know for sure is there was an explosion.
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

97%

  • Unique Points
    • An explosion occurred at the Realty Building in downtown Youngstown, Ohio,
  • Accuracy
    • At least one person has been reported dead.
    • Seven people were taken to the hospital with one in critical condition.
    • The cause of the explosion is still under investigation but believed to be caused by a gas leak.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

98%

  • Unique Points
    • One man and a woman are unaccounted for, possibly inside the Realty building or neighboring Double Tree hotel.
    • No one is allowed to enter the Realty building or Double Tree hotel, but residents can return to nearby International Towers.
  • Accuracy
    • Seven people were injured in the explosion with one person in critical condition and two people missing.
    • The cause of the explosion is unknown.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication