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| Worker missing after diner blast in Kansas City, Missouri | Worker missing after diner blast in Kansas City, Missouri |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Search crews are picking through rubble as they search for a missing employee after a gas explosion destroyed a restaurant in Kansas City, Missouri. | Search crews are picking through rubble as they search for a missing employee after a gas explosion destroyed a restaurant in Kansas City, Missouri. |
| Seven people injured in Wednesday evening's blast and inferno at JJ's eatery remain in hospital, two critically. | Seven people injured in Wednesday evening's blast and inferno at JJ's eatery remain in hospital, two critically. |
| At least seven others were treated and released after the explosion in the Country Club Plaza retail centre. | At least seven others were treated and released after the explosion in the Country Club Plaza retail centre. |
| Officials suspect a utility contractor accident could be to blame. | Officials suspect a utility contractor accident could be to blame. |
| A woman, an employee of the restaurant, remains missing. | |
| "Our main concern right now is that we have a missing individual whose family is very much in anguish about that," Mayor Sly James said. | |
| 'Severe burns' | |
| Sniffer dogs were being used to search the smouldering wreckage for any human remains, city officials said. | |
| Heavy equipment was brought in on Wednesday morning to clear several feet of rubble. | |
| Crews were trying to remove the debris before a major winter storm was forecast to hit the area later in the day. | |
| First images from the scene showed firefighters and other emergency teams battling a massive blaze that appeared to have engulfed an entire block. | First images from the scene showed firefighters and other emergency teams battling a massive blaze that appeared to have engulfed an entire block. |
| A doctor with St Luke's Hospital said two of the injured being treated there were in critical condition, one with "pretty severe burns". | |
| Six others walked into the hospital with minor injuries. | |
| The Kansas City Star reported a total of 16 patients across three area hospitals, including St Luke's Hospital. | |
| Jill Chadwick, spokeswoman for the University of Kansas Hospital, said one patient had told her that the restaurant was being evacuated when the blast happened and the roof fell in. | Jill Chadwick, spokeswoman for the University of Kansas Hospital, said one patient had told her that the restaurant was being evacuated when the blast happened and the roof fell in. |
| "This patient told me there had been the smell of gas and that they had evacuated any patrons and that employees of the restaurant were in the process of shutting off gas valves and trying to get out of the restaurant when there was the explosion," she told the BBC. | "This patient told me there had been the smell of gas and that they had evacuated any patrons and that employees of the restaurant were in the process of shutting off gas valves and trying to get out of the restaurant when there was the explosion," she told the BBC. |
| "He said the last thing he remembered was the roof collapsing. I asked him how he got out and he said the front of the restaurant was blown away and he just walked through the rubble." | "He said the last thing he remembered was the roof collapsing. I asked him how he got out and he said the front of the restaurant was blown away and he just walked through the rubble." |
| Kansas City Fire Chief Paul Berardi said firefighters were called about 17:15 local time (22:15 GMT) on Tuesday in response to a report of a breached gas line near the restaurant. | |
| 'Loud thunderclap' | |
| Firefighters spoke to Missouri Gas Energy workers and left the scene, Mr Berardi said, and the explosion occurred about 45 minutes later. | |
| In a statement, Missouri Gas Energy said "early indications are that a contractor doing underground work struck a natural gas line". | |
| The initial blast was felt beyond the shopping area. | The initial blast was felt beyond the shopping area. |
| Matthew Noonan, who lives just under one mile away, told the BBC: "My wife and I were in the house playing with our daughter when something shook our windows. It sounded like a loud thunderclap. | |
| "The severity of the explosion is quite shocking." | "The severity of the explosion is quite shocking." |
| JJ's owner Jimmy Frantze told the Star that he was driving back to Kansas City from Oklahoma on Tuesday night when he heard the news. | |
| "It was 28 years of a great restaurant, and then it has to end like this," Mr Frantze said. "I want to check on my employees. I want to make sure they are all right." | |
| The shopping area, established in 1922, is based on the architecture of Seville, Spain, and includes retail, restaurants, apartments and offices. | The shopping area, established in 1922, is based on the architecture of Seville, Spain, and includes retail, restaurants, apartments and offices. |