Murray State University Explosion: 1 Injured After Possible Gas Leak Torches Dorm Building

At least one person was injured Wednesday afternoon in a massive explosion at a residence hall at Murray State University, Kentucky, the varsity confirmed in a Facebook post. The explosion was probably caused due to a gas leak.

The blast occurred at the varsity’s new Richmond Residential College at 4:53 p.m. EDT, according to Kentucky State Police press release. The news release also stated emergency services were deployed immediately after the blast, and the man injured was transported to Murray-Calloway County Hospital (MCCH).

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When the explosion occurred, a Governor’s Scholars Program was being held at the university, but the participants were safely evacuated, the varsity administration said. The explosion was so powerful that it damaged surrounding buildings in the campus, shattered the windows and the debris flew all over, as per the officials. Western Kentucky NBC-affiliate WPSD reported that strong vibrations from the explosion were felt even off-campus.

Earlier in the day, maintenance work was going on and some workers were present in the residential building where the explosion occurred late afternoon. However, they left the campus following the blast, according to Calloway County Emergency Management Director William Call, NBC News reported.

Large portions of the residential building were destroyed due to the explosion; however, reports said the building did not have any students as they were on summer break. Authorities at Murray State University acknowledged the explosion at 5:23 p.m. EDT and warned people to stay out of the affected area. Off-campus and on-campus visitors were also relocated, according to the university’s post.

One employee of the university was unaccounted for after the incident, according to a reporter from ABC-affiliate WHAS 11 News; however, the authorities and the emergency services did not confirm if anyone was stuck under the debris.

Dakota Fields, the man injured due to the explosion, is a university employee, a trooper with Kentucky State Police, Jody Cash, confirmed. Fields was said to be in a stable condition, he added. It was also not confirmed why Fields was inside the building when the explosion occured.

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The residential building which was affected due to the explosion was opened in 2009 and constitutes of a four-floor dormitory, where around 268 people reside, according to Fox News. Investigation was underway to look into the actual cause of the explosion, Cash said.

A similar incident occurred in June 2013, when a possible natural gas explosion destroyed a historic building at Nyack College north of New York City and wounded seven faculty members present when the incident occurred.

"The whole first floor got blown out — shrapnel and glass flew everywhere," William Barbera, chief of the sheriff's patrol told Reuters in 2013. No students were injured in the accident as they had left after completing graduation in the previous month, officials said.