Explosion in Harrisonburg, VA with injuries EDIT: Add NY Times story

[Yonnie3]

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Much more on twitter search Harrisonburg explosion

Edit to Add: NY Times story

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/17/us/explosion-harrionsburg-virginia.html?smtyp=cur&smid=tw-nytnational

At Least 3 Injured in Explosion at Virginia Strip Mall

The shopping center was a “complete loss,” a city official said. The cause of the explosion was unknown.

By Christina Morales

Oct. 17, 2020, 10:54 a.m. ET

At least three people were injured, two of them seriously, after an explosion and fire on Saturday morning at a Harrisonburg, Va., strip mall, the authorities said.

The cause of the explosion was unknown, Michael Parks, a spokesman for the city, which is about 130 miles northwest of Richmond, said at a news conference. He said the two-story strip mall was a “complete loss.”

Firefighters were still at the shopping center, which consisted of about four businesses, including a music store and a recording studio, searching for anyone who might be unaccounted for, Mr. Parks said.

Some nearby buildings were damaged but not seriously in the explosion, which was reported around 8:30 a.m.

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[Yonnie3]

1. Info from facebook

Blue Sprocket Sound, a production company known to me, was possibly the business that exploded.

They indicate that they are OK but don't know what happened.

[soothsayer]

2. Gas line maybe?

[Yonnie3]

3. Maybe

I believe it was the coldest low there this morning so far this Fall. A defective gas heater could be the culprit. I suspect it will take a while to find out.

[Chainfire]

4. Very likely a gas explosion

People will ignore smelling gas because plumbers, which are usually the gas mechanics, are expensive. They just don't believe that it is a real danger until leaking gas blows up a building.