East Lansing Fire Department Deputy Chief Tim Hull, right, talks with city of East Lansing Utilities Supervisor Mel Chapman to tell him shutting off utilities to the explosion area will not be necessary. The fire department responded to a call that someone heard a loud bang or explosion followed by a cloud of white smoke.
The East Lansing Police Department is investigating what police said appears to be a man-made explosion.
The explosion occurred at about 11:47 a.m. Tuesday in the parking lot shared by Harrison Roadhouse and Cron Management on the corner of Michigan Avenue and Center Street.
The parking area is closed with yellow police tape while investigators scan for evidence. The explosion damaged some of the wood on the side of Cron Management, East Lansing police Chief Tom Wibert said.
A “very loud bang” caused people to call 911, Wibert said. A single worker inside Cron Management heard the noise and felt the building shake, East Lansing police Lt. Kevin Daley said.
“It was just a loud explosion,” said the employee, who did not wish to be identified. “It was just quick and I have no idea what happened. I’m just waiting out here to see what’s going on.”
Investigators initially believed the explosion to be electric, but Consumer’s Energy arrived on the scene confirmed it was not a gas leak, Wibert said.
For more on this story, read Wednesday’s edition of The State News.
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