Damaged home and apartment building to be demolished near vacant Cleveland house that blew up

Cleveland to raze buildings near site of blast

CLEVELAND — A city official says Cleveland will move quickly to demolish residences that have been made unsafe by an explosion that leveled a vacant house.

City Councilman Matt Zone says the home next door and a small, brick apartment building must come down because of severe structural damage from Monday’s blast.

Fire department spokesman Larry Gray says four people who were near the house that blew up were taken to hospitals with injuries not considered life-threatening.

Neighbors say the house had been vacant for two years. In recent days, neighbors had complained about a natural gas smell coming from the house.

Gray says authorities suspect, but have not confirmed, a gas leak.