61-year-old coffee shop owner killed in North Carolina gas explosion

A 61-year-old coffee shop owner was killed in the North Carolina gas explosion that also injured 17 people on Wednesday morning. 

Kong Lee was the owner of Kaffeinate Coffee Shop, which was located inside the downtown Durham building that exploded after a contractor who was drilling in the sidewalk hit a two-inch gas line. 

Newly released before and after photos have shown how the family-owned coffee shop was completely decimated in the explosion.   

The coffee shop was completely decimated, as seen in this after photo

A before and after view show how Lee’s Kaffeinate coffee shop was completely decimated by the horrific explosion

Coffee shop owner Kong Lee, 61, was killed in the North Carolina gas explosion that also injured 17 people on Wednesday morning. He is pictured here with his family

Coffee shop owner Kong Lee, 61, was killed in the North Carolina gas explosion that also injured 17 people on Wednesday morning. He is pictured here with his family 

On Wednesday night, the shop posted a story on its official Instagram page asking for privacy.  

Wounded survivors of the ‘catastrophic’ gas leak were seen crawling away from the scene or being dragged out by emergency workers after the blast occurred shortly after 10am. 

At the time, firefighters were evacuating workers from nearby buildings after receiving reports of a gas leak in the area less than an hour before the explosion. 

Darren Wheeler, a Durham firefighter, was among those injured in the blast, according to ABC 11. He is currently out of surgery and ‘recovering from his injuries’. 

Six of the 17 were critically injured and eight of the wounded were Duke University employees. One was a Dominion Energy employee.  

Five were taken to Duke Regional Hospital and seven were taken to Duke University Hospital. One had to be taken to the North Carolina Jaycee Burn Center. 

At the time, firefighters were evacuating workers from nearby buildings after receiving reports of a gas leak in the area less than an hour before the explosion

At the time, firefighters were evacuating workers from nearby buildings after receiving reports of a gas leak in the area less than an hour before the explosion

Darren Wheeler (pictured), a Durham firefighter, was among those injured in the blast

He is currently out of surgery and 'recovering from his injuries'

Darren Wheeler (pictured), a Durham firefighter, was among those injured in the blast. He is currently out of surgery and ‘recovering from his injuries’

Several of those who have been treated were released by Wednesday night. 

Everyone known to be in the buildings at the time of the explosion has been accounted for, but a 35-member task force will still undergo a search-and-rescue operation. 

Rescue crews will use cameras, police dogs, and large machinery to search the five buildings that were affected by the explosion. 

‘I feel a real sense of loss and grief,’ Durham Mayor Steve Schewel said during a press conference. ‘It’s a very difficult day in that way.’ 

‘But I feel something else as well, and that is a tremendous sense of gratitude. I saw firefighters with their hoses…fighting that fire not knowing if there was another potential gas explosion.’  

Wounded survivors of the 'catastrophic' gas leak were seen crawling away from the scene or being dragged out by emergency workers after the blast occurred shortly after 10am

Wounded survivors of the ‘catastrophic’ gas leak were seen crawling away from the scene or being dragged out by emergency workers after the blast occurred shortly after 10am 

Fire ighters dragged people from the debris of the explosion while trying to put out the flames on Wednesday morning

Fire ighters dragged people from the debris of the explosion while trying to put out the flames on Wednesday morning 

An injured woman weeps and is comforted by another while sitting outside near the site of the explosion. Five buildings suffered damage including the one that was totally destroyed

An injured woman weeps and is comforted by another while sitting outside near the site of the explosion. Five buildings suffered damage including the one that was totally destroyed

Aerial footage shows the collapse of a building in Durham, North Carolina, after a gas explosion on Wednesday. The building is occupied by a building technology company but also houses a coffee shop and there is a psychiatrists' office nearby

Aerial footage shows the collapse of a building in Durham, North Carolina, after a gas explosion on Wednesday. The building is occupied by a building technology company but also houses a coffee shop and there is a psychiatrists’ office nearby

The gas leak was first reported at 9.38am after a contractor, who was hired by Kaffeinate, struck the natural gas line. 

Officials have since said that the contractor had received the required permits and was installing fiber network in the area, according to WRAL. 

After the leak was reported, first responders arrived on the scene and began evacuating the building. They also called police for backup. The building exploded at 10.07am during the evacuation.  

Durham Fire Chief Robert Zoldos, who was one of the first responders after the September 11 terrorist attacks, told reporters that the building now looks like the Pentagon did after terrorists crashed a passenger jet into it.  

In addition to Kaffeinate, the building was used partly by Main Street Clinical Associates and Dr Hollister Trott, a psychiatrist, and building technology company Prescient. 

Prescient said none of its employees were hurt but that the building was ‘a total loss’.  

An overhead  view shows the catastrophic damage to the building that was worst affected

An overhead  view shows the catastrophic damage to the building that was worst affected 

A man stands at the scene of the blast in shock while firefighters work through the debris

In the minutes after the explosion, fire fighters pulled survivors from the wreckage while battling the blaze

In the minutes after the explosion, fire fighters pulled survivors from the wreckage while battling the blaze

Several people in nearby offices were injured by flying glass and debris, the result of shattering windows. They reported feeling the ground shake and hearing a loud boom when the explosion happened. 

Witness Robin Jarvi was sitting at a traffic light when he saw the whole building explode. 

‘I’ve never seen anything like it before,’ he told  WTVD. ‘I was sitting at the traffic light and I smelled heavy, heavy gas.’ 

‘There were people in the building. I saw a business owner but a sign that said “Business is closed for the day because of a gas leak.”‘ 

‘As soon as I went through the traffic light, the whole building exploded.’  

Fire fighters work at the scene of the explosion on Wednesday after the blast

Fire fighters work at the scene of the explosion on Wednesday after the blast 

Fire fighters work at the scene of the explosion in downtown Durham on Wednesday morning

A woman wears a bandanna (right) to keep herself from breathing in smoke

Fire fighters work at the scene of the explosion in downtown Durham on Wednesday morning (left). People in the buildings surrounding the therapy center were evacuated.  A woman wears a bandanna (right) to keep herself from breathing in smoke

Around 15 minutes before the explosion, employees in a building near the site were told to stay indoors while a leak was investigated. 

Jim Rogalski, 58, was working in his office across the street from the destroyed building when the explosion blew out the windows. 

At least four people working in cubicles by the windows suffered deep cuts, bloody head wounds, and other injuries, he said. 

‘The first second was stunned silence, then lots of screaming in the building. Several of us shouted, “Is anyone hurt?”‘ Rogalski, who was seated one row away from the windows, told CNN.

‘It was terrifying. The whole building shook.’ 

Firefighters and emergency personnel work the scene following a building fire in downtown Durham

Firefighters and emergency personnel work the scene following a building fire in downtown Durham

Emergency personnel examine the destroyed building which was ripped apart by an explosion in Durham, North Carolina on Wednesday

Emergency personnel examine the destroyed building which was ripped apart by an explosion in Durham, North Carolina on Wednesday

Jim Rogalski, 58, was working in his office across the street from the destroyed building when the explosion blew out the windows. At least four people working in cubicles by the windows suffered deep cuts, bloody head wounds and other injuries, he said

Jim Rogalski, 58, was working in his office across the street from the destroyed building when the explosion blew out the windows. At least four people working in cubicles by the windows suffered deep cuts, bloody head wounds and other injuries, he said

‘Things started falling – ceiling tiles, and structure and glass and debris. Lots and lots of dust. It was tough to see beyond 20 feet or so.’ 

‘There was lots of screaming,’ Rogalski continued. ‘It was pretty frantic there for a little bit until help showed up. The injured were quickly taken to an exit.’ 

Rogalski said he was forced to abandon his car in a nearby parking deck because authorities worried the blast may have weakened the structure. 

Meanwhile, some downtown residents have reported their water is now turning cloudy or brown. 

City officials said this is due to the extra demand being put on the water system by firefighters and first responders.  

This was the site before the explosion. The building is occupied by Prescient, a building technology company and it houses a coffee shop. There is also a psychiatrist's office in the complex

This was the site before the explosion. The building is occupied by Prescient, a building technology company and it houses a coffee shop. There is also a psychiatrist’s office in the complex 



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