OCALA, Fla. — New video released by the Fire Rescue shows the moment when a building exploded leaving four people hurt in Ocala.
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“We are collecting eyewitnesses reports, just to make sure that everything is conclusive and concur the same direction,” said Ashley Lopez, with Ocala Fire Rescue. “We are in the middle of an ongoing investigation so that we can pinpoint the cause of these areas.”
Three of the four people were from the same family. “Physically, they will heal, but mentally, it’s going to take time,” said Tiffany King, who is a family friend. “This literally just happened less than 24 hours ago. So, they are trying to process everything.”
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The blast forced several businesses to shut down, some even lost part of the roof.
“I’m coming out from the store, so I have my ticket. I was scratching my ticket when the boom, boom,” Jose Luiz Gomez, who was at a smoke shop next door.
According to the fire department, the laundromat’s dryers were powered by natural gas.
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The building housing the business was built in 1973.
The investigation is now focused on identifying the cause by reviewing the building’s structural updates and its permits.
“I really was lucky not to leave, and nothing happened. Because, as you can see, the whole ceiling came down,” said Jorge, who works at an insurance company right next to the laundromat. “Accidents happen, but this caliber of accidents, I think could be prevented with the right measures.”
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