Cleanup underway for 36 businesses damaged in Greenwood explosion

Debris can be seen for blocks after a strong explosion early Wednesday morning injured nine firefighters and destroyed businesses in Seattle’s Greenwood neighborhood.

As people in the residential area are learning how it happened, cleanup crews and investigators could be at the scene for hours. (Read our breaking coverage here.).

This post is tracking cleanup in the area. To read an overview about how it happened, click here. See photos here.

Did you capture video or audio of the Greenwood explosion? We'd like to see it, and may use the footage on KIRO 7 News. Follow this link to send us an e-mail.

Here is what’s being done in the cleanup with timestamped updates. 

6 p.m.

In the hours since the early morning explosion, a Gofundme account set up to support three destroyed businesses already raised more than $22,000.

4:45  p.m.

Seattle Fire Investigators determined that the early morning explosion and resulting fire in Greenwood were accidental and caused by a natural gas leak on the exterior of the building.

Three businesses located in the building shared common walls and were leveled by the blast: Quick Stop Grocery at 8409 Greenwood Avenue North, Mr. Gyros at 8411 Greenwood Avenue North, and Neptune Coffee at 8415 Greenwood Avenue North.

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Natural gas levels  accumulated in the interior of the building to the extent that they ignited. Investigators were not able to pinpoint the source of ignition inside the structure.

The total damage to the building is estimated at$3 million dollars.

2 p.m.

Seattle Mayor Ed Murray says 36 businesses were damaged in the early morning gas explosion in the Greenwood neighborhood. During a news conference next to the rubble, Murray said the city will help the region rebuild.

Seattle Fire Chief Harold Scoggins says he is proud of the way his firefighters put themselves in the right position as they investigated reports of a gas leak. He says their training kept them from getting killed when the explosion happened.

Puget Sound Energy spokesman Andy Wappler says they're supporting the investigation, but the cause remains unclear. It was not known if the problem came from inside or outside the building. He says gas lines are inspected every three years, but he didn't know when the pipes in the area had last been inspected.

10 a.m. 

The Seattle Fire Department and Puget Sound Energy are first responders to the explosion scene.

Survey crews double-checked the neighborhood and said there is no ongoing danger. See photos from the scene here.

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Gas service to the buildings affected by the explosion has been shut off since 2:48 a.m. There was still one leak, and Puget Sound Energy crews had to cut into the street to shut down the valve.

As of noon Wednesday, PSE said no other leaks were identified.

<a href="https://pse.com/safety/NaturalGasSafety/Pages/Detect-a-Leak.aspx">&gt;&gt; PSE: Here's how to detect a gas leak and what to do </a>

The Seattle Department of Transportation has put up signs around the explosion perimeter.

Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission investigators, who are pipeline engineers, will investigate the cause of the explosion and fire after the site is secured.

They will also ensure that no evidence is disturbed, and maintain communications with the western region of the U.S. Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.

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It has not been confirmed what businesses were destroyed, but people who live in the area said they were Mr. Gyros, Nepute Coffee and Quick Stop grocery.

9:20 a.m.

Video surveillance from a restaurant shows the force of a natural gas blast that tore through a Seattleneighborhood overnight, sending nine firefighters to the hospital and reducing businesses to rubble.

The footage from the Olive and Grape restaurant shows a bright flash and then the room shakes as debris falls from the ceiling. A large garage door covering the restaurant's front windows protected it from extensive damage.

Puget Sound Energy spokeswoman Akiko Oda said gas service for the impacted buildings has been off since 2:48 a.m., and they expanded the gas shutdown in the block surrounding the damaged site. Oda says all six valves were shut off by about 7:30 a.m. Wednesday.

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PSE has completed leak surveys for the block around the area and no leaks have been found.

Oda says it will take time to determine what caused the explosion and they'll be working with the Seattle Fire Department in their investigation.

7:15 a.m.

Among the businesses damaged or destroyed in a natural gas explosion in a North Seattle neighborhood was Neptune Coffee, Mr. Gyro and a bike shop called G&O Family Cyclery.

Harborview Medical Center spokeswoman Susan Gregg said no one who lived or worked in the neighborhood has been treated at the hospital. By 7:15, only four of the firefighters who were being treated for minor cuts and abrasions were still at the center.

Gregg said those four were being discharged.

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As the morning dawned, the extent of the damage could be seen. Pieces of wood and chunks of broken glass littered the streets. Windows on surrounding buildings were shattered as smoke streamed from the rubble.

6:15 a.m.

Crews are working to shut off natural gas in the Seattle neighborhood rocked by an explosion that heavily damaged buildings and injured nine firefighters.

Puget Sound Energy spokeswoman Christina Donegan said the company is working with the Seattle Fire Department to shut off the gas and then a survey team will move in.

Donegan says their focus will be to determine if there was an issue with gas to the building or something inside the building.

Nearby residents were evacuated after the blast early Wednesday, but there's no word of other injuries or anyone missing. Harborview Medical Center spokeswoman Susan Gregg said the nine firefighters suffered largely cuts and abrasions and eight were being released. The ninth was being further evaluated to determine if he needed to be admitted.

Cox Media Group