Massive North Bend Explosion Shakes Residents, Cause Still Unknown (+Video)

Residents and business owners are counting their lucky stars after a North Bend explosion leveled several buildings in the wee hours of Friday morning. The early morning hour of the explosion–at around 4 a.m.–meant there was nobody in the incinerated office buildings or walking the streets in the town that’s about 20 minutes outside of Seattle, Washington.

Three North Bend buildings were destroyed in the explosion, and several others were damaged. Only two people suffered minor injuries, with no fatalities, according to local media reports.

Three buildings were destroyed in the explosion and windows shattered in nearby homes and in dozens of homes in an apartment complex across the street. The destroyed North Bend businesses included a shuttered pizza restaurant undergoing renovations, and a mini-mall with a dance studio and hair salon were also destroyed. The explosion was powerful enough that it also seriously damaged a nearby service station and tire store. A school and playground are also near the blast site.

Investigations into what caused the explosion are ongoing, but early reports indicate that the source was in the dance studio. The studio was being renovated. A North Bend city administrator told the media that permits for structural improvements had recently been issued, including a gas permit. There were no code violations following an inspection two weeks ago, though.

North Bend residents and firefighters told local media that the explosion shook most of the town and could be heard for miles. Only two minor injuries of cuts resulting from shattered glass were reported. Debris was also blown up to several blocks away in the explosion.

“We were very fortunate,” said Josie Williams, spokeswoman for Eastside Fire and Rescue in an interview with the Seattle Times. “If this had happened a couple of hours later there would definitely be more injuries and possibly loss of life.”

The town of North Bend is a small community of about 6,000 people and is considered a bedroom community for Seattle commuters. It was formerly the site of a Weyerhaeuser sawmill that shut down.

It’s the second time in recent months that a major incident has struck the Pacific Northwest. Last month, a massive landslide killed three and destroyed six homes.

Almost six dozen firefighters from North Bend and neighboring communities responded to the explosion and the ensuing fire that it caused. The scene has been searched for victims and none have been found. The local gas provider, Puget Sound Energy, said that the natural gas has been contained and gas leak surveys have been conducted in the surrounding area to make sure residents are safe from another potential North Bend explosion.