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Local officials are investigating an explosion at a Virginia strip mall that injured at least 5 people

Oct 19, 2020, 01:51 IST
Business Insider
Officials are still investigating the cause of the explosion at the strip mall in Harrisonburg, Virginia.Ian Munro/Daily News-Record via AP
  • An explosion at a strip mall in Harrisonburg, Virginia on Saturday morning left at least five people injured.
  • Three people were transported to hospitals and were in stable condition as of Saturday evening.
  • Local officials are still investigating the cause of the explosion.
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Authorities in central Virginia are investigating an explosion at a Virginia strip mall that injured at least five people on Saturday morning.

The explosion was reported at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday in Harrisonburg, a city of 50,000 in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley. Three people were taken to hospitals after the incident and two others were treated on the scene for minor injuries.

James Madison University, which is located near downtown Harrisonburg, said that three students from the school's ROTC program were among those injured. The students were participating in a 10-mile race, the finish line of which was located 30 yards away from the explosion.

One of the students was among the three people taken to the hospital. All three people are in "stable condition," according to an update from the city posted on Twitter on Saturday afternoon. The city also said that firefighters had completed their primary search of the scene, and did not find additional people.

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam called the situation a "gas explosion," but local officials have not confirmed the cause of the explosion. City spokesperson Michael Parks told the Daily News-Record the probe will likely take several days, but there is no indication of foul play.

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The strip mall was home to around four businesses, including a music store and a recording studio.

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