A firefighter watches the blaze coming from the nursing home late Wednesday night

November 11, 1999
Web posted at: 8:32 a.m. EDT (1232 GMT)

In this story: Investigators examine boiler RELATED STORIES, SITES

FLINT, Michigan (CNN) -- Three people are still missing early Thursday after an explosion ripped through a nursing home, killing five and injuring an additional 20 people, including two critically.

An explosion in the boiler room rocked the Clara Barton Convalescence Center shortly before 9 p.m. EST, on Wednesday, crumpling its center section and sparking a fire that swept through the building.

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Nursing Home Explosion

"What we hear is it was a massive explosion that left a crater in the nursing home," said Stephanie Motschendacher, spokeswoman for nearby Hurley Medical Center, where some of the injured were taken.

A search is under way for more survivors. Emergency workers also have cadaver dogs at the scene to aid in the search of the rubble.

About 110 people were inside the building at the time of the explosion.

Dozens of police, fire crews and paramedics rushed to the scene. Many victims were pulled from the twisted rubble and rushed to hospitals. Others were treated at makeshift medical facilities set up at nearby churches.

Flint Assistant Fire Chief Jim Horton said that the missing included both residents of the nursing home and employees.

"We practically had a whole shift of officers over there," after the explosion, said Sgt.Kenneth Booker of the Flint Police Department.

Investigators examine boiler

Neighbors helped rescue residents from the burning building

The fire was brought under control late Wednesday. Horton said investigators probing the cause of the fire are centering their inquiry on the boiler itself but it is not immediately clear that it was the cause of the blast.

Horton also said that the building passed inspection last year and the boiler was fairly new.

The most seriously injured victims were taken to Hurley Medical Center, where two people were in critical condition, including one person being treated in the neuro-trauma unit. Another person was in fair condition in the burn unit.

Hospital spokeswoman Motschendacher said she could not elaborate further on the patients. She said family members of the people listed as missing had gathered at the hospital.

Ten people, including patients and staff from the nursing home, were taken to McLaren Regional Medical Center with minimal to moderate injuries, primarily smoke inhalation. Three nursing home patients were treated at Genesis Regional Medical Center for non-lifethreatening injuries.