DUNWOODY, Ga. (AP) – An explosion Sunday shook an apartment building on the outskirts of Atlanta and caused the partial collapse of the three-story structure and left four people slightly injured, authorities said.
The cause of the blast was unknown, but a local service company had received a call from a resident about a strong gas odor shortly before the noon explosion, according to the County Fire and Rescue Deputy Chief of Fire of DeKalb County, Melvin Carter. He said 90% of the building had been searched and officials were in the process of providing the rest of the complex so rescuers could continue to search for anyone who might be trapped.
Fire captain Jaeson Daniels said two people had not been identified and could have been in one of three apartments that had completely collapsed. Lifeguards had not been able to enter these apartments due to the instability of the overall structure.
But WSB-TV reported, citing DeKalb fire officials, that the two people were found safe.
A helicopter and drones circled the structure as the local Red Cross began exploring residents to see who might need help finding accommodation. The partially collapsed building and several others nearby were evacuated. Residents were told Monday was the first they could return home.
Brandon Winfield, 28, who lives in a building next to the collapsed, said he felt fortunate to avoid injury since he had driven through the site minutes before the blast. The collapse reminded him of a terrible accident that occurred when he was a teenager, cutting his spinal cord while participating in motocross.
“I’m alive. I’m alive,” he said. “I dodged two bullets.”
Chantel Jefferson, a 21-year-old Amazon driver, had parked her van directly outside the building and was gathering packages to get inside when she heard a “huge explosion” and trees and debris began to fall into her vehicle. . People ran out of the building, screaming and bleeding from the wounds.
“It simply came to our notice then. It would have made me explode, ”he said. “I’m glad I didn’t get there.”
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Photographer AP Gray contributed to this report.
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This story has been corrected to show that Melvin Carter is a deputy fire director for DeKalb County, not a deputy fire director for Dunwoody.