The National Transportation Safety Board announced it has sent pipeline and hazardous materials investigators to investigate what it is calling a "natural gas explosion" in Downtown Youngstown.
The NTSB is expected to provide a media update on Thursday.
One person died, and seven people were injured Tuesday as crews responded to the scene of an explosion at the Chase Bank building near Central Square around 3 p.m.
According to police, a preliminary investigation indicates the explosion may have been caused due to a gas leak, but during a news conference Wednesday morning, local authorities said that they wouldn't speculate on what caused the explosion and would let the State Fire Marshal's Office make the determination.
Crews evacuated people from the top floors of the building, which are apartment units. Youngstown police said a 27-year-old man's body was found inside the building. Police said he was an employee.
The Penn Hills School district confirmed 27-year-old Akil Drake was killed after an explosion at a Downtown Youngstown Building. Drake was an employee at the Chase Bank, according to Youngstown Mayor Jamael Tito Brown.
The school district released this statement:
"Earlier today, the Penn Hills administration learned that one of our former students, Akil Drake, tragically lost his life in an explosion in Youngstown, Ohio. Akil was a 2015 Penn Hills graduate and a student athlete who excelled on the football field. The Penn Hills School District extends its deepest sympathies to Akil's family as well as the other individuals impacted by this tragic explosion. Akil will be missed by us all."
A statement from Mercy Health Hospital said it was treating seven patients impacted by the incident, including one patient in critical condition.
The building was evacuated, and streets in the surrounding area are closed to traffic indefinitely because of the potential for a structural collapse.
Gas has been shut off to the building.
Officials said there is no evidence of suspicious activity at this time.
On Wednesday, Mayor Brown said, "They were going to work bankers, making sure we have financial institutions. I bank there. I am there often, I've seen one of the ladies, and I talk to her often in the bank. It's a bank we use, and it's a place we collectively go, so we're going to work with Chase and make sure they understand we are there for them."
Youngstown fire crews searched late into the night for another reported missing person, who later showed up at a local emergency room.
"The other young lady that was missing we found her, we didn't find her, she was in Boardman in the ER. But, for whatever reason, unknown, she registered under a different name," said Youngstown Fire Chief Barry Finley.
Above the bank is the Realty Tower. Deanna Rossi has lived there for 11 years. Her 20-year-old son was at home when the explosion happened.
"My son was in the building, heard a fire alarm, started going down one of the fire escapes, it's a stairwell, went down one of the stairwells, and he was partly down the stairwell when the explosion happened and debris and soot came all over him. I was one block away, and when I heard it was our building, I started running, and I saw the smoke and the paper flying through the air and just started running toward the building," said Rossi.
Rossi said her family loves downtown living.
"It's an amazing executive living space. You have a lot of attorneys and investment advisers and professionals that are living in that building, and to find another home in downtown right now is going to be interesting," Rossi said.
Realty Tower is a privately owned building with 23 units. Fire Chief Finley said no one is going back inside until the building is deemed safe. Rossi and her family are staying with their family until they can figure out what's next.
"This is a city made from steel, this is a strong building. I hope that we can see whatever happens with this building that they rebuild and make sure it's as strong as the city is," Rossi said.
The Stambaugh Building and the DoubleTree by Hilton are also closed down as a precaution. A downtown corridor is shut down because of the risk of falling debris. The city said it will be putting up more permanent barriers soon.
The State Fire Marshal's Office is investigating.
