Overview
- One person died when a home in the 6600 block of Harrison Avenue on Portage’s north side exploded and burned, leaving the structure leveled and a large debris field, officials said.
- The blast occurred during a powerful storm system that produced tornado-warned conditions and very strong straight-line winds, and the National Weather Service confirmed EF-1 tornado damage nearby.
- Police and fire officials said downed trees and live power lines delayed responders reaching the scene, and Portage Mayor Austin Bonta signed a local emergency proclamation and opened an emergency operations center.
- The storms caused massive infrastructure damage across the region, with tracking sites showing more than 1 million customers without power and utilities sending out-of-state crews while some roads and sections of I-65 remained closed.
- Investigators are still determining whether the weather caused the explosion, and city leaders warned that recovery, safety checks, evacuations and power restoration could take several days and will significantly disrupt local life, including canceled school sessions.