An explosion on Tuesday at an auto repair shop in Ohio killed three people and injured a fourth, authorities said.
Security cameras caught the moment the blast happened at Jimbo’s Auto Repair in Hillsboro, about 50 miles east of Cincinnati. The explosion caused a large fire which took a 45-person fire crew around an hour to suppress, said Paint Creek Joint EMS & Fire District Chief David Manning.
“The fire extended into the building immediately adjacent to the auto shop and there was debris all over the road,” said Manning, who helped respond to the explosion.
Manning said he believes all four victims were employees at the auto repair shop. The woman that was injured was transported to the hospital and is in stable condition.
The cause of the explosion is under investigation and the identities of the victims have not yet been released, said Manning.
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The blast was so strong that it was felt at the fire house five to six blocks away from the auto shop, said Manning. Neighbors of the auto shop told NBC affiliate WLWT of Cincinnati that it shook their homes.
“When I heard about the explosion, I told my wife, she said it rocked our house something awful,” neighbor Richard Brown told the station. “Jimbo, who owns the place, is a really stand-up guy who’s a great mechanic.”
Representatives for Jimbo’s Auto Repair could not be reached for comment Wednesday.
The building immediately adjacent to the explosion and a house across the street sustained some fire damage, said Manning.
Civilians living in the area delivered food to fire crews at the scene and at the station, said Manning. He thanked the community for coming together at a very unfortunate time.
