Crews begin removing debris from site of downtown Durham explosion
Crews will begin removing debris from Wednesday's fatal gas explosion on Friday. Search dogs were used to comb the rubble to ensure no victims were trapped.
Posted — UpdatedSearch dogs had been used to comb the rubble to ensure no victims were trapped.
Because of the amount of debris at the blast site, on the 100 block of North Duke Street, roads in the immediate area remained closed, as did the Durham School of the Arts on Friday.
Road closures include:
- Gregson Street at Morgan Street
- North Duke Street at Morgan Street
- Fuller Street at Morgan Street
- North Duke Street at Main Street
Investigators said the damage will need to be pieced back together to figure out what caused the explosion.
The owner of the coffee shop Kaffeinate, 61-year-old Kong Lee, died in the blast. Officials said firefighters urged him to leave while they were evacuating the area.
On Friday, Lee’s children posted on social media that Lee called them before the blast, saying he was closing the shop and was about to post a sign for customers on the door.
Officials said first responders left Kaffeinate seconds before the explosion.
City leaders have confirmed that companies doing work before the explosion, including drilling, had permits.
A 2-inch gas line was struck about 30 minutes before the explosion.
Fibertech Networks LLC, also known as Lighthouse Fiber Networks, had a permit to do work in the area.
The permit was issued last June and was valid through June 25, 2019.
Durham Deputy City Manager Bo Ferguson said the company was recently acquired by Crown Castle.
Utilis Engineering, a Charlotte-based company, is the company that submitted permits for the city's review, but Ferguson said he couldn't confirm they were the ones doing the work because they likely hired a subcontractor.
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's database, all of the companies Ferguson named have no violations over the past five years.
Durham Mayor Steve Schewel told WRAL he feels a sense of sadness and loss, but also pride, for the city's response to the tragedy.
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