COLUMBUS — Firefighters say no injuries were reported in an explosion and fire that leveled pizza restaurant on the Hilltop Wednesday afternoon
A company using a machine to bore beneath the street struck a high-pressure gas line at the intersection of W. Broad Street and S. Powell Avenue around 3:00 p.m., causing the blast, fire division spokesman Battalion Chief Steve Martin said.
Workers at the Domino’s pizza restaurant at 2845 W. Broad Street and a nearby Nationwide Children’s Hospital-affiliated clinic fled the two buildings after smelling gas. The restaurant then exploded and a fire broke out.
Gas company crews eventually were able to reach an underground valve and shut off the gas about two hours after the explosion.
Authorities reported that there were some evacuations of buildings in the immediate area, following the blast.
Utility service was shut off to the area for several hours.