Body Found in Kansas City Explosion
By: NBC News
Updated: February 20, 2013
Authorities pulled a body Wednesday from the wreckage of a landmark restaurant in Kansas City, Mo., where a natural gas explosion caused a spectacular fire.
At least 14 people were injured Tuesday night when a blaze tore through JJ's Restaurant, part of an upscale business and shopping district. Searchers with cadaver dogs had sifted through the rubble for hours overnight looking for the lone person missing, a woman who worked at the restaurant.
The cause of the gas explosion remained under investigation. A statement released by Missouri Gas Energy said early indications were that a contractor doing underground work struck a natural gas line.
More than 100 firefighters responded to the 6 p.m. blast at JJ's Restaurant in Country Club Plaza, an upscale business and shopping district of Kansas City. Flames shot up through the night sky, destroying the renowned Midwest dining spot as firefighters worked in below-freezing temperatures. The fire was largely under control a couple of hours later.
"JJ's Restaurant is totally gone," Kansas City Fire Department Chief Paul Berardi said.
David Frantz, the restaurant owner's brother, said the loss of the beloved eatery is a major blow to the city.
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