MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — In a story Aug. 2 about an explosion that killed two people at a Minneapolis school, The Associated Press, relying on information from a relative, erroneously reported that victim John Carlson was 81. The medical examiner said he was 82.

A corrected version of the story is below:

2 dead after explosion at Minneapolis school

Authorities say one person is dead and another is missing after a natural gas explosion at a college prep school in Minneapolis

By AMY FORLITI and JEFF BAENEN

Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A second body was found in the rubble of a collapsed school building in Minneapolis after an explosion killed a school employee and injured several others, fire officials said Wednesday night.

City Fire Chief John Fruetel said the body was recovered around 8 p.m. Wednesday at the Minnehaha Academy. Fruetel said the medical examiner’s office is working to notify relatives.

The blast occurred in a utility as students were playing soccer and basketball at the private Christian school, which serves students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade, according to fire and school officials.

Contractors were working on one of the campus’ buildings at the time of the blast, which investigators believe was caused by a natural gas explosion, said Assistant Minneapolis Fire Chief Bryan Tyner.

The explosion killed Ruth Berg, a receptionist for 17 years at the school who “welcomed everyone with a smile,” the school said in a statement.

John Carlson, a part-time janitor known for giving Dilly Bars to students, was reported missing. The 82-year-old attended the school as a child, sent his own children there, and was like a grandfather figure to students, school officials said.

At a news conference Wednesday night, Fruetel did not specify whether Carlson’s body was the one located.

Four people remained hospitalized late Wednesday, including one in critical condition, at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis, according to the hospital. Their names haven’t been released.

Dr. Jim Miner, the hospital’s chief of emergency medicine, said victims treated from the blast suffered injuries ranging from head injuries and broken bones to cuts from debris.

Aerial video footage of the school’s campus showed part of a building was ripped apart, with wood splintered and bricks scattered about. Windows in other areas were blown out and shattered. Three people were rescued from the building’s roof shortly after the explosion and fire, Tyner said.

Paul Meskan, who lives across the street, said he was pulling weeds when the blast happened, and he quickly ran over to the school. Meskan said he and other people who rushed to help found a man pinned under the rubble.

“We just started digging,” Meskan said. He said that after police and firefighters arrived, “we kept digging, and gas, gas was going. Fire was going. And it’s like, ‘we’re not going back until we get this guy out of here.’ And we got him out, and they got him on a stretcher.”

The Star Tribune reported that city records show Master Mechanical Inc. was issued a permit on June 7 for “gas piping and hooking up meter” at the school’s address. Ryan Larsen, a company official, released a statement saying the company was monitoring the situation and referred questions to the Minneapolis Fire Department.

Larsen wouldn’t confirm to The Associated Press that company workers were on site, saying: “We are trying to figure it out.”

Master Mechanical has twice been cited for workplace violations in recent years, according to the newspaper. Jenny O’Brien, a spokeswoman for the Minnesota Occupational Safety and Health Administration, said in 2010 there was a violation related to protecting an employee from falling. In 2014, the company had paperwork violations.

At the time of Wednesday’s blast, as many as 10 students were playing basketball inside a gym at Minnehaha Academy but weren’t near the explosion, said Sara Jacobson, the school’s executive director of institutional advancement. Jacobson also was in the building during the explosion.

“There was a very loud explosion, and ceiling tiles and windows and materials rained down on our heads,” she said. “And then soon as it was over, we made our way down a dark hallway to the exit as quickly as we could.”

Gov. Mark Dayton released a statement saying his office was in contact with city officials and the state “will provide any and all resources necessary” to help first responders and ensure everyone is safe.

___

Associated Press writer Gretchen Ehlke contributed to this report from Milwaukee.</s>MINNEAPOLIS -- Two bodies have been found following an explosion at a private school in south Minneapolis Wednesday, CBS Minnesota reports.

The Minneapolis Fire Department confirmed that the body of John Carlson was discovered in the rubble at about 8 p.m. Investigators will return to the school Thursday morning, CBS Minnesota reports.

School officials confirmed that one of its Minnehaha Academy staff members were killed in the explosion: Ruth Berg, 48, who worked as a receptionist there for 17 years.

"She welcomed everyone with a smile and was always willing to go the extra mile to help our students, families and staff," officials said.

Her fiance told CBS Minnesota he was informed. She was supposed to have been married in October.

Nine people were taken to Hennepin County Medical Center. Most suffered broken bones and head injuries from flying bricks and debris.

By late Wednesday afternoon, one of the victims -- Bryan Duffey -- was still in critical condition. Duffey is an assistant soccer coach at the school.

Three other victims are in satisfactory condition, and five were discharged from the hospital.

An explosion leveled a building at a school in Minneapolis on Wed., August 2, 2017. Mary McGuire / CBS Minnesota

The explosion was caused by a natural gas leak as contractors were doing work on the building, officials said.

Helicopter footage showed flames and wreckage in the middle section of the building. The fire was put out by early Wednesday afternoon.

Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton said the state was in touch with local authorities to assist in the response. He said the state will "provide any and all resources necessary to aid first responders" and those affected by the blast.

Statement from @GovMarkDayton regarding this morning's explosion at Minnehaha Academy in Minneapolis pic.twitter.com/6jzz21oZJX — Matt Swenson (@MattSwenson) August 2, 2017

Allison Schmitz, whose child attends Minnehaha, told CBS Minnesota's Mary McGuire that people were given 15 seconds to evacuate after a gas leak.

Jack Mahler was playing soccer nearby at the time of the explosion.

"We heard a man yell 'gas' and 'get out', and we saw one sprint down the street and one sprint into the building, kind of standing in the doorway, yelling it. About the time the man sprinting down the street got to the end down here there was a huge explosion," Mahler said. "Smoke went up and knocked most of us back. It knocked me off my feet."

Minneapolis fire officials say it appears no children were hurt in the incident. Minnehaha Academy says all Summer Program students and staff are "accounted for and safe."

UPDATE: 12:35 pm The situation at the Upper School is being managed by Minneapolis emergency personnel. All of our... Posted by Minnehaha Academy on Wednesday, August 2, 2017

Minneapolis police say contractors doing work on the building ruptured a gas line, causing the explosion. According to city records, Minneapolis issued a permit for Master Mechanical, Inc., to work on the building, CBS Minneapolis reports.

Master Mechanical released a statement, saying: "Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone involved in the incident. We are monitoring the situation and at this time we are referring all questions about the event to the Minneapolis Fire Department out of respect for their investigation."

The explosion happened near the school's office and maintenance area. Neighbors said they heard the "boom" from blocks away.

"Live across the street from Minnehaha Academy, heard the blast, felt the window shake," said Deborah Dillaway. "The dogs were startled and came out 30 seconds later, saw where the building used to be one continuous building now had a gap. I could see sunlight all the way through to the other side."

Residence felt a tremendous blast, and some could even smell natural gas in the neighborhood. When they looked over, all they saw was a cloud of dust and piles of rubble.

I live in Longfellow, about 10 blocks from Minnehaha Academy. Heard loud boom, felt the whole house shake. Definitely more than just a fire. — Robert Voedisch (@voedisch) August 2, 2017

Within seconds of the powerful explosion, residents poured onto sidewalks and front lawns, stunned at the burning pile of rubble that moments before was a century-old school building.

Dillaway said it felt like an earthquake.

"I was just sitting, reading the paper and there was just a huge blast," Dillaway said. "We used to live in San Francisco, and there are two types [of earthquakes]: one is a short, quick one, the other is a longer one. It felt like the plates were shifting."

Moments after rescuers pulled a critically-injured man away from the debris, burning gas made it too dangerous to search for any others.

"We have been able to confirm that the explosion the collapsed was caused by a gas explosion," said Bryan Tyner, assistant chief of the Minneapolis Fire Department. "It may be where we can move it brick by brick, or where we have to get heavy equipment to move the bigger slabs or portions of the building."

Principal of the Upper School at Minnehaha Academy Jason Wenschlag tweeted: "Please pray for Minnehaha."

Please pray for Minnehaha. — Jason Wenschlag (@JasonWenschlag) August 2, 2017

A number of former students were stopping by to see the damage for themselves.

They told CBS Minneapolis that the building was built in 1913, and they had celebrated its centennial just a few years ago.

A vigil is expected to be held at 7 p.m. local time.</s>An explosion in a Minneapolis school have killed at least one person and left two unaccounted for.

The detonation ripped Minnehaha's Upper School in half while children were in the school's upper campus at around 10am.

Minneapolis officials said that one person had died, according to KARE 11, but that claim has been disputed by local fire department.

Officials at the school, which is located on 3100 West River Parkway, said that all of the children - some of whom were on the field at the time - had been accounted for.

However, two people are unaccounted for, according to the local fire department. They are adults, according to the local fire department.

Fire officials said that the situation is being treated as a search-and-rescue mission, and it's not certain whether the remaining missing people are in the rubble or the building.

The unaccounted-for figure was originally three, but that was lowered to two after one of the people was found unharmed outside the building.

Five people were hospitalized at Hennepin County Medical Center after the explosion, one of whom was critical and one of whom was treated and released.

There are no details about the condition of the other victims, other than they were not in critical condition.

Contractors were working on the building when the explosion occurred, fire department officials said.

Three other people were rescued from the roof of the building by the fire officials.

They were school employees, a father visiting the school said. It's not clear why they were on the roof.

The explosion scattered bricks far and wide, separating a single building into what now look like two separate structures.

The school's director of advancement, Sarah Jacobson, said that staff and children were told to evacuate before the explosion, although she declined to give further details.

A school gym coach said that the explosion came shortly after the warning was raised. He said someone someone smelled gas.

A father in the school said there were two groups in the building when the explosion occurred: A group in the counselor's office having a meeting, and a group of about a dozen students in the gym, practicing basketball.

He said that his daughter went to the door when the alarm went off, but was blown back by the explosion. She was unharmed, he said.

It's believed that the gas leak may have been caused by a ruptured gas line. Part of the brick building collapsed after the explosion, authorities said.

Flames continued to burn an hour after the explosion, likely fed by gas lines, reporters on the ground said.

'Being briefed regularly by Chief Fruetel and Acting Chief Arradondo regarding the gas explosion and building collapse at Minnehaha Academy,' mayor Betsy Hodges tweeted.

'City first responders are fully engaged. Will share more information as soon as it becomes available and confirmed.'

Those in the neighborhood said that the explosion rattled windows on nearby buildings.

'It was just a really loud boom,' one resident told KARE 11. 'You felt it in your chest.'

Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton said in a statement that his office is in constant contact with the school.

Tuition fees at the school cost between $12,470 per year for kindergarteners and $21,280 for those in Grade 12.

Children can be picked up by their parents from Edmond Blvd and 32nd St, next to the school, according to Jacobson.</s>An apparent gas explosion and partial building collapse at a private school in Minneapolis on Wednesday has left one person dead, nine people injured and one person unaccounted for, according to the local fire department.

The school, Minnehaha Academy, says on Facebook that the woman who died was a receptionist at the academy and that the missing person is a staff member.

Fire Chief John Fruetel told reporters that rescue teams "still consider it a rescue at this point," meaning they believe the missing person may be alive in the rubble, The Associated Press reports. But he called the situation "precarious" and said the building might collapse further.

School officials previously announced on Facebook that all summer program students "are accounted for and safe." Contractors were reportedly working on the building at the time of the explosion.

Tim Nelson of Minnesota Public Radio reports that rescuers are still sorting through rubble:



"The blast leveled the center of a building at the upper school at Minnehaha Academy. "School spokeswoman Sara Jacobson says classes were not in session, but there were students and staff in the building at the time: 'The students who were here on site were practicing basketball in the gym ... at the far northern side of the building,' [she said.] 'The explosion happened in the middle of the building. They certainly could feel the rumble, but there was no impact to them personally.' "At least three of the injured were initially listed in critical condition and four others in serious condition following the blast."



Minnehaha Academy is a private, Christian college prep school, located on the banks of the Mississippi River in Minneapolis. The explosion happened at the academy's Upper School campus, for students in grades 9 to 12.

The Associated Press has more on the apparent cause of the explosion:



"The Minneapolis Fire Department says a gas explosion caused the blast and partial building collapse Wednesday at Minnehaha Academy. Fire officials say contractors were working on the building at the time. "Assistant Fire Chief Bryan Tyner ... says three people were rescued from the roof, and another person initially believed missing was found unhurt."



A custodian for the academy, who is in his 80s, might be the remaining missing person, according to Minnesota Public Radio and The Star Tribune.

The Star Tribune reports that the explosion involved a gas leak:



"The natural gas supply from CenterPoint Energy was cut off, and the utility has 'well-trained, experienced crews on site who are coordinating with local emergency officials to secure the area,' said company spokeswoman Becca Virden. 'We will conduct an investigation to determine the cause.' "Along with the blast taking out a significant chunk of the building, walls still standing had their window frames popped out. "According to city of Minneapolis records, Eagan-based Master Mechanical Inc. was issued a permit on June 7 for 'gas piping and hooking up meter' at the address. "Ryan Larsen, a financial officer with the company, said, 'We've got people on the site there. They are figuring it out.' "</s>A contractor that was issued a permit for gas piping and meter work at a Minneapolis school where an explosion and partial collapse killed two people and injured at least seven others says its employees were among the injured.

A contractor that was issued a permit for gas piping and meter work at a Minneapolis school where an explosion and partial collapse killed two people and injured at least seven others says its employees were among...

(Aaron Lavinsky/Star Tribune via AP). Emergency workers respond to an explosion at Minnehaha Academy in Minneapolis Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2017. Assistant Fire Chief Bryan Tyner said it appears the explosion may have been caused by a ruptured gas line, bu...

(David Joles/Star Tribune via AP). A Minneapolis police officer puts up police tape following an explosion at Minnehaha Academy Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2017, in Minneapolis. Several people are unaccounted for after the explosion and partial building collaps...

(David Joles/Star Tribune via AP). Former Minnehaha Academy employees Elizabeth Van Pilsum, center, is comforted by friends Edie Olson, right, and Rick Olson, left, after an explosion at Minnehaha Academy Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2017, in Minneapolis. Severa...

(David Joles/Star Tribune via AP). Former Minnehaha Academy employees Elizabeth Van Pilsum, left, and Rick Olson, center, react after an explosion at the school Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2017, in Minneapolis.Several people are unaccounted for after an explosi...

(David Joles/Star Tribune via AP). Emergency personnel move away as a gas fire continues to burn following an explosion at Minnehaha Academy Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2017, in Minneapolis. Several people are unaccounted for after an explosion and partial buil...

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board were sent to a Minneapolis school Thursday to look into an apparent natural gas explosion and partial building collapse that killed two people and injured at least nine, including one critically.

The explosion at Minnehaha Academy reduced part of a building on its upper school campus to rubble. City fire officials said Wednesday's collapse was caused by a natural gas explosion. Contractors were working in the school at the time, and some witnesses said they were warned of a gas leak moments before the blast.

Some first responders also reported smelling natural gas as they pulled people to safety.

The blast occurred in a utility area as students were playing soccer and basketball at school, according to fire and school officials. NTSB spokesman Eric Weiss said the agency is investigating because it has jurisdiction over gas pipelines.

Minneapolis Fire Chief John Fruetel said two bodies were pulled from the rubble on Wednesday. While officials have not formally identified them, Minnehaha Academy, said on its Facebook page that the victims were Ruth Berg, a receptionist for 17 years at the school who "welcomed everyone with a smile," and John Carlson, a part-time janitor known for giving Dilly Bars to students.

Carlson, 81, attended the school as a child, sent his own children there, and was like a grandfather figure to students, school officials said. Berg was engaged to be married.

Three people remained hospitalized Thursday, including one in critical condition, according to Hennepin County Medical Center. Six other patients who were brought to the hospital after Wednesday's blast have been released. Dr. Jim Miner, the hospital's chief of emergency medicine, said victims suffered injuries ranging from head injuries and broken bones to cuts from debris.

Minnehaha Academy is a private, Christian school that serves students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grades. The explosion affected only the upper school; the lower and middle school campus is about a mile and a half away. Aerial video footage of the school's campus showed part of a building was ripped apart, with wood splintered and bricks scattered about. Windows in other areas were blown out and shattered. Three people were rescued from the building's roof shortly after the explosion and fire, Tyner said.

Paul Meskan, who lives across the street, said he was pulling weeds when the blast happened, and he quickly ran to the school. Meskan said he and other people who rushed to help found a man pinned under the rubble.

"We just started digging," Meskan said. He said that after police and firefighters arrived, "we kept digging, and gas, gas was going. Fire was going. And it's like, 'We're not going back until we get this guy out of here.' And we got him out, and they got him on a stretcher."

The Star Tribune reported that city records show Master Mechanical Inc. was issued a permit on June 7 for "gas piping and hooking up meter" at the school's address.

Master Mechanical said in a statement Thursday that its employees were among the injured. The contractor did not say how many of its employees were hurt.

Master Mechanical has twice been cited for workplace violations in recent years, according to the newspaper. Jenny O'Brien, a spokeswoman for the Minnesota Occupational Safety and Health Administration, said in 2010 there was a violation related to protecting an employee from falling. In 2014, the company had paperwork violations.

At the time the blast, as many as 10 students were playing basketball inside a gym at Minnehaha Academy but weren't near the explosion, said Sara Jacobson, the school's executive director of institutional advancement. Jacobson also was in the building.

"There was a very loud explosion, and ceiling tiles and windows and materials rained down on our heads," she said. "And then soon as it was over, we made our way down a dark hallway to the exit as quickly as we could."

Associated Press writer Gretchen Ehlke contributed to this report from Milwaukee.

Sign up for the AP's weekly newsletter showcasing our best reporting from the Midwest and Texas at http://apne.ws/2u1RMfv .

This story has been corrected to reflect that several others were injured, not dozens.

Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.</s>MINNEAPOLIS — An 81-year-old janitor has been confirmed as the second victim killed after a school building collapsed in an explosion Wednesday, an incident that injured several others.

The blast occurred in a utility area at the Minnehaha Academy as students were playing soccer and basketball. The private Christian school serves students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade.

Assistant Minneapolis Fire Chief Bryan Tyner said contractors were working on one of the campus’ buildings at the time of the blast, which investigators believe was caused by a natural gas explosion.

The explosion killed Ruth Berg, a receptionist for 17 years at the school who “welcomed everyone with a smile,” the school said in a statement, and part-time janitor John Carlson, who was found buried in the rubble at 8 p.m. Wednesday night.

Carlson had deep ties to the school. He attended the school as a child, sent his own children there, and was “like a grandfather to students,” school officials said. He was known for giving frozen Dilly Bars to students.

“Minnehaha Academy is deeply saddened by today’s events. Tonight we report that we have lost alum and staff member John Carlson. John Carlson was Minnehaha’s biggest cheerleader and a long-time presence in the school. He graduated from Minnehaha in 1953, sent his children here, and after retiring from his first career he came back to work at the school. John will be deeply missed. Please keep John’s family, Ruth’s family, those who were injured, and our school community, in your prayers,” a school statement said.

Four people remained hospitalized late Wednesday, including one in critical condition, at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis, according to the hospital. Their names haven’t been released.

Dr. Jim Miner, the hospital’s chief of emergency medicine, said the victims’ injuries ranged from head trauma and broken bones to cuts and abrasions.

Aerial video footage of the school’s campus showed part of a building was ripped apart, with wood splintered and bricks scattered about. Windows in other areas were blown out and shattered. Three people were rescued from the building’s roof shortly after the explosion and fire, Tyner said.

Paul Meskan, who lives across the street, said he was pulling weeds when the blast happened, and he quickly ran over to the school. Meskan said he and other people who rushed to help found a man pinned under the rubble.

“We just started digging,” Meskan said. He said that after police and firefighters arrived, “we kept digging, and gas, gas was going. Fire was going. And it’s like, ‘we’re not going back until we get this guy out of here.’ And we got him out, and they got him on a stretcher.”

The Star Tribune reported that city records show Master Mechanical Inc. was issued a permit on June 7 for “gas piping and hooking up meter” at the school’s address. Ryan Larsen, a company official, released a statement saying the company was monitoring the situation and referred questions to the Minneapolis Fire Department.

Larsen wouldn’t confirm to The Associated Press that company workers were on site, saying: “We are trying to figure it out.”

Master Mechanical has twice been cited for workplace violations in recent years, according to the newspaper. Jenny O’Brien, a spokeswoman for the Minnesota Occupational Safety and Health Administration, said in 2010 there was a violation related to protecting an employee from falling. In 2014, the company had paperwork violations.

At the time of Wednesday’s blast, as many as 10 students were playing basketball inside a gym at Minnehaha Academy but weren’t near the explosion, said Sara Jacobson, the school’s executive director of institutional advancement. Jacobson was in the building during the explosion.

“There was a very loud explosion, and ceiling tiles and windows and materials rained down on our heads,” she said. “And then soon as it was over, we made our way down a dark hallway to the exit as quickly as we could.”

Gov. Mark Dayton released a statement saying his office was in contact with city officials and the state “will provide any and all resources necessary” to help first responders and ensure everyone is safe.</s>MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Workers may have been moving a gas meter when an explosion tore through a Minneapolis school building this week, killing two people and injuring at least nine others, according to federal investigators.

A team from the National Transportation Safety Board arrived in Minneapolis Thursday to begin the painstaking task of determining what caused Wednesday’s natural gas explosion at Minnehaha Academy. The bodies of two school workers — longtime receptionist Ruth Berg and custodian John Carlson — were found in the rubble.

Investigators will look into the movement of the gas meter, as well as whether the gas was turned off inside the building or at the street as the work was being done, NTSB board member Christopher Hart said. The NTSB is investigating because it has jurisdiction over gas pipelines.

Hart said investigators will be on site for up to seven days as they document the evidence, but that it could take a year for the agency to finish its work and issue safety recommendations.

“Our mission is to understand not only what happened, but more importantly, why it happened, so that we can make recommendations to prevent it from happening again,” Hart said.

City fire officials have said the explosion happened in a utility area at the private Christian school, which serves students ranging from pre-kindergarten to 12th grade. The blast occurred while students were on campus playing soccer and basketball, according to fire and school officials.

Aerial video footage shows that part of a building was ripped apart, with wood splintered and bricks scattered about. Windows in other areas, including classrooms, were blown out.

Contractors were working in the school at the time, and some witnesses said they were warned of a gas leak moments before the blast. Some first responders also reported smelling natural gas as they pulled people to safety.

Hart said the investigation will include talking to witnesses, analyzing how the systems were working, and looking at worker training and whether the employees had any issues such as fatigue or impairment. He noted that investigators have yet to talk with employees of Master Mechanical, the contracting company doing the gas line work.

The company was issued a permit in June for “gas piping and hooking up meter” at the school, according to city records. The permit doesn’t include details on the type of work involved. Master Mechanical said in a statement that its employees were among the injured, but it has not elaborated on the work they were doing.

Mark Farley, a Houston-based attorney who specializes in major accident response, said such investigations include looking into what type of work was being done, whether the building should have been occupied at the time, and if all safety precautions were taken.

He said another question is whether the contractors should have isolated the natural gas source before proceeding. But he said it’s premature to say whether the building should have been cleared beforehand.

“The question is going to be, was it isolated in a way that they were confident they could do the work without the risk of a leak,” he said. “Obviously something went terribly wrong.”

Tim Fetterly, a Minnesota attorney experienced in cases stemming from fires and explosions, said investigations can move quicker if a witness knows exactly what went wrong. But he said investigators still need to look at all the physical evidence, which could include removing all the gas components from the scene and conducting lab tests.

Fetterly said gas is meant to be transmitted in a closed system, and that finding the source of the leak will be key.

Master Mechanical has been cited for workplace violations twice in recent years. In 2010, the company was fined for a violation related to protecting an employee from falling, according to Jenny O’Brien, spokeswoman for the Minnesota Occupational Safety and Health Administration. In 2014, the company had two paperwork violations related to letting employees know about job hazards.

Seven people who were brought to the hospital after Wednesday’s blast have been released.

Two people remained hospitalized Thursday, including assistant soccer coach Bryan Duffey, who was in critical but stable condition, according to Hennepin County Medical Center. Duffey’s family released a statement Thursday saying he has traumatic injuries that will require more surgery.

The explosion affected Minnehaha Academy’s “upper school,” which houses the high school. The lower and middle school campus is about a mile and a half away. School is scheduled to begin Aug. 23.

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Copyright © 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.</s>Emergency personnel put water on the scene of a school building collapse at Minnehaha Academy in Minneapolis, Minnesota, August 2, 2017. Five people were injured, including one critically, and two people were missing after a building collapsed at a...</s>Rescues are underway for victims after a building exploded and collapsed at Minnehaha Academy, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Two people are unaccounted for, five were transported to the hospital with injuries and one was evaluated and released, according to Minneapolis Police.



Earlier three people were reported as missing but one person was found around noon, uninjured.

The explosion happened at Minnehaha's Upper School on 3100 West River Parkway in Minneapolis. According to officials, the explosion may have been caused by a gas leak.

Minneapolis fire officials say they continue to search the rubble for the missing people. According to officials, those missing are adults.

Three others were rescued from the school's roof.

They say at this time, it appears the explosion was due to a severed gas line.



Gov. Mark Dayton issued a statement after being briefed on the incident: “My office is in continuous contact with the City of Minneapolis and the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, as emergency personnel respond to this emergency. The State will provide any and all resources necessary to aid first responders in their efforts to ensure the safety of all those impacted by this morning’s explosion. I thank the many firefighters, paramedics, and law enforcement officers who rushed to the scene this morning, and who are working still to ensure the safety of our children, adults, friends, and neighbors.”

See more from KARE 11 here: http://www.kare11.com/news/3-missing-after-building-explosion-collapse-at-minnehaha-academy/461292497</s>MINNEAPOLIS — One person is dead and another is still missing after a building exploded and collapsed at Minnehaha Academy, according to the Minneapolis Fire Department.

Minneapolis Fire Chief John Fruetel said Wednesday afternoon that one victim was found dead in the rubble. Minnehaha Academy confirmed just before 5 p.m. that the victim is Ruth Berg, a longtime receptionist at the school. Another person is still unaccounted for.

Seven people were initially admitted to Hennepin County Medical Center with injuries. HCMC tweeted at 4 p.m. that they are currently treating four people -- one is critical and three are in satisfactory condition.

Five others have been discharged, they say.

The person who is unaccounted for is presumed to be under the rubble, according to Fruetel.

Fruetel said both the victim found dead and the one missing are staff members at the school.

According to family members who talked to KARE 11, John Carlson, an 81-year-old custodian, is still missing and no one has been able to reach him. Authorities have not confirmed he is the person under the rubble.

Because of hanging debris, Fruetel said they are working methodically to find the second person, while keeping their crews' safety a priority. He said they are hopeful it will be a rescue, not a recovery.

"It’s a very precarious situation," he said. "It’s very unstable. There are no signs of obvious location. We know there are two floors of debris. We still consider it a rescue at this point."

Earlier, it was stated that three people were reported as missing but one person was found around noon, uninjured.

The explosion happened around 10 a.m. at Minnehaha's Upper School in Minneapolis. According to officials, the explosion was caused by a gas leak while contractors were working in the area.

A work permit issued by the city of Minneapolis to an Eagan-based company, Master Mechanical Inc., allowed for gas piping and a meter hook up. Master Mechanical sent out a statement saying, "Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone involved in the incident. We are monitoring the situation and at this time we are referring all questions about the event to the Minneapolis Fire Department out of respect for their investigation."

Philip Day, who was with his daughter in the building, said a staff member ran up to them and told them they needed to evacuate immediately.

"Seconds after that ... my daughter got up and was getting ready to leave out of the counselor's office and was blown back into the counselor's office by the explosion," he said. "I mean, it was seconds after they told us to get out that the explosion happened."

"All the windows in the office blew out, rubble from the ceiling came tumbling down," he said.

The counselor they were meeting with, Kristin Overton -- who is 7 months pregnant -- jumped over her desk and took cover, when the windows shattered and the ceiling came down. She said the explosion was instantaneous with their warning to evacuate.

Day said the Minnehaha Academy community is very tight knit -- and obviously concerned about who may still be inside.

Those inside the gymnasium at the time say there was only a few seconds between someone saying they smelled gas and the building exploding.

"As soon as they said, 'Hey, we smell gas, we gotta get out,' it exploded," said Tramon Vanlear, who was inside the gym. "I think the magnitude is the biggest thing I'm trying to comprehend right now."

A basketball team and a soccer team were practicing at Minnehaha at the time of the explosion.

Charlie Peterson was actually interviewing for a job at the school -- then ended up being one of three people rescued from the school's roof.

"I got under the conference table and the ceiling came down and we got out the windows onto the roof and about 15 minutes later, they got ladders up to us," he said.

Residents near the area say they could feel the explosion. Some say their power flickered briefly afterwards.

"It was just a really loud boom," said one resident. "You felt it in your chest."

Dr. James Miner, chief of Emergency Medicine for HCMC, said during a news conference that this is something the hospital trains for and they were well prepared for the aftermath of Wednesday's explosion. He said there is also medical staff at the scene.

The school lists multiple summer programs currently in session including woodworking, intermediate band, advanced band and driver's education.

Gov. Mark Dayton issued a statement after being briefed on the incident.

“My office is in continuous contact with the City of Minneapolis and the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, as emergency personnel respond to this emergency. The State will provide any and all resources necessary to aid first responders in their efforts to ensure the safety of all those impacted by this morning’s explosion. I thank the many firefighters, paramedics, and law enforcement officers who rushed to the scene this morning, and who are working still to ensure the safety of our children, adults, friends, and neighbors.”

The Upper School currently serves grades 9-12, while the lower and middle school serves students from pre-kindergarten to 8th grade. The school integrates faith and learning, through Bible study, chapel services and guidance from a Christian faculty and staff.

"Today, the school remains dedicated to the Christian ministry set forth by its founders," according to the school's website. "This private, Christian school sponsored by by the Northwest Conference of the Evangelical Covenant church, serves approximately 900 students from the Twin Cities area."
A natural gas explosion at college prep school Minnehaha Academy in Minneapolis, Minnesota, kills two staff members. Another nine people were injured, seven of whom are hospitalized, three in critical and four in serious condition.