A veterinary medical center exploded in North Carolina, leaving three firefighters hurt.
On Tuesday, Aug. 19, at around 11 a.m. local time, police responded to the scene of a gas leak caused by a car that struck a natural gas line after driving off the road in Wilmington, North Carolina, located on the state’s coast, around 129 miles southeast of Raleigh, North Carolina, Greg Willett, the Wilmington Police Department public information officer, said at a news conference.
“Everyone was confused and surprised at the same time,” said Luis Mares, a manager at a nearby restaurant. “We didn’t know what was going on.”
The gas line fed into the Eastern Carolina Veterinary Medical Center, a new location to be opened by Eastern Carolina Veterinary Referral, which was undergoing renovations and planned to open in September.
A construction worker inside the building smelled gas, and told the two other workers with him to evacuate the building immediately, reported local news station WECT.
Mares said he heard the building explode at around 11:30 a.m. local time.
“Everybody was a little bit busy, a few customers inside, and we hear a big explosion and the building starts shaking,” Mares said.
Video taken in a nearby parking lot shows the aftermath of the explosion. Smoke plumes out of the building as debris rains down across the area. The moment left witnesses shocked.
Thankfully, no one was in the building at the time of the explosion, but three firefighters were hospitalized, according to Wilmington Fire Department Public Information Officer Rebekah Thurston.
Two of the firefighters had minor injuries, and one sustained severe hand burns.
Jason Lee Beach, 46, is suspected of being the driver who fled the scene of the crash, but was found shortly after.
Beach was charged with the following, according to a news release from the Wilmington Police Department:
Beach, who was arrested on Aug. 19 and is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday, Aug.20, is being held on a $100,000 bond, according to the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office’s online records.
The vet office was planning on offering 24/7 emergency veterinary care, neurology, medical oncology, and more, according to the Eastern Carolina Veterinary Medical Center’s website.
It was also meant to be a teaching hospital and a research and innovation hub.
“I said to myself ‘This can’t be happening, we’re just a few weeks away from our grand opening and being able to provide services here in Wilmington,” Gary Walker, the veterinary administrator, told WECT. “We put a lot of work into this project. It’s a four-year project, we were just wrapping up. But coming up to it and seeing the smoke and seeing the fire department and the debris all over the road was just surreal.”
Employees were supposed to be in the building hours after the explosion.
An open house and ribbon-cutting ceremony were set to take place on Sept. 6, according to an event posted to the practice’s Facebook.
“Our thoughts are also with our team, who have anticipated the move to our new location and understand the loss you are feeling right now,” Eastern Carolina Veterinary Referral stated in a post on Facebook. “We feel it too, and we will work to create a path for moving forward, while supporting you.”
The practice also shared that it is sending thoughts and prayers to those injured by the explosion.
“We continue to lift you up as we pray for your recovery,” read the post.
Its other location, a hospital on Greenville Avenue, was unaffected by the incident and remains open.
“We are open for business and ready to care for your pet’s needs,” it stated. “Thank you for being there for us, as we want to be there for you.”
Contributing: Charlie Kingree, Wilmington StarNews
Julia is a trending reporter for USA TODAY. Connect with her on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and TikTok: @juliamariegz, or email her at jgomez@gannett.com

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