Ohio explosion: 1 missing, 7 hurt in blast, fire at Columbus paint plant

Ohio explosion

COLUMBUS, Ohio — One person is missing and seven people, including two who suffered critical injuries, are in the hospital following reports of a fire and explosion at an Ohio paint plant, authorities said.

According to WBNS-TV, the blast occurred shortly after midnight Thursday at Yenkin-Majestic Paints in Columbus. First responders arrived to find employees leaving the building, including five who were hurt and rushed to area hospitals, the Columbus Division of Fire wrote in a Facebook post overnight.

Crews also saved two other workers who were trapped inside the building, according to the post. They were hospitalized in critical condition, officials said.

“We still have one person not accounted for, but we have been through all of the building,” the post read, adding that the fire was contained by 5:15 a.m.

Investigators have not yet determined what caused the blast, WBNS reported.

Local residents posting on Twitter said they felt the blast in the homes.

“Powerful enough to shake my whole house,” one resident wrote. “Something blew up in Columbus,” another replied.

“It was all over the city, I think,” another wrote. “I’m in central Columbus, by fairgrounds. We heard a ‘muffled’ explosion-like sound and whole house shook, windows rattled. All the neighbors came out of their houses, our dog ran upstairs to see what was happening, etc.”

Photos taken by residents showed a large plume of smoke rising into the sky.