YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio — Youngstown Mayor Tito Brown was joined by other city officials for a briefing Wednesday following the deadly explosion at the Chase Bank building downtown on Tuesday afternoon.
The press conference came hours after police told 3News that the body of a 27-year-old Chase Bank employee was recovered overnight. According to 3News' NBC sister station 21 News WFMJ, the Mahoning County Coroner's Office has identified the victim as Ali Drake. An autopsy will be performed by the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office.
Drake had been seen inside the building right before the blast, the Youngstown Police Department said Wednesday.
"It's a tough part when you have to tell a mother that her son got up yesterday to go to work and he did not come home," Brown said during his remarks.
Youngstown Fire Chief Barry Finley confirmed that seven people were hospitalized as a result of the explosion, including one woman who is in on a ventilator in the surgical ICU at Mercy Health. Finley said officials hope that some of the lesser injured victims will soon be discharged from the hospital.
"This tragedy hit our community hard," Finley added.
Finley said everyone who had been in the building has been accounted for, which includes a second missing person that investigators had been seeking. A woman that investigators were searching for apparently turned up at an emergency room in Boardman. "For whatever reason, unknown, she registered under a different name. So that's why we couldn't find her," the chief explained.
The body of Drake was found in a basement at approximately 12:30 a.m.
"With respect, we got him out because we were not going to leave until we found him," Finley added. "We were going to be there as long as it took. We found him so his family can have closure."
The investigation into the explosion is being handled by the State Fire Marshal's Office. None of the officials who took part in Wednesday's briefing would speculate as to the cause of the incident or who might be at fault.
Just before 6 p.m. Wednesday, Brown gave an update to the media outside of the Chase Bank building.
"The State Fire Marshal, as well as Dominion (Enbridge Gas Ohio), said they've concluded their part of the investigation and now they're waiting for NTSB to come in tomorrow to give us further direction and guidance on what needs to happen before this building moves any further," he said.
Brown added that no findings have been revealed from the investigation. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) announced late Wednesday that it would be sending "pipeline and hazardous materials investigators to investigate Tuesday's natural gas explosion in downtown Youngstown." An NTSB news conference is set for Thursday.
Per WFMJ, Chase Bank occupies the first floor of the 13-story building, which also houses 23 apartment units. The neighboring apartment building, International Towers, was also evacuated for safety.
For those residents wondering when they might be able to return home, Finley stated that "nobody is going in that building" until he is assured by structural engineers that it is safe.
Brown said the city would also help provide mental health resources to victims who may struggle with PTSD. "We're just going to continue to wrap our arms around the staff of those in the bank and those residents who live there."
Chase Bank released the following statement to 3News on Wednesday:
The JPMorgan Chase family mourns the loss of our colleague. Our hearts go out to their family as well as our injured employees, their families and other affected by this tragedy. We will continue to work with local officials to support them.
On Thursday morning, JPMorgan Chase’s CEO Jamie Dimon and CEO of Consumer and Community Banking Marianne Lake sent the note below to employees:
"A gas explosion in a building with our branch in downtown Youngstown, Ohio, has taken the life of Relationship Banker Akil Drake. We are devastated by the news and extend our deepest condolences to Akil’s loved ones during this incredibly difficult time. Our thoughts are also with the Youngstown community, especially our employees seriously injured by the blast. We’re focused on supporting them and Akil’s family now and through their recovery.
Akil was a special member of the Chase team. Hired in February 2021 as an Associate Banker and promoted to Relationship Banker last year, he was loved by his team and customers. A Youngstown State University graduate, Akil was very active in the community and devoted much of his free time to volunteering and brainstorming ways to make Youngstown a better place. Thank you for including our Youngstown teammates in your thoughts and prayers."
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
You can watch Wednesday's full briefing in the player below.
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