Overview
- Police say an intruder trying to steal copper lit a fire inside a vacant unit at Northside Plaza on Markham Street, igniting built-up gas and triggering Tuesday night’s explosion.
- A person of interest suffered severe burns in the blast and is hospitalized, while the man rescued from the building is in stable condition at Grady Memorial Hospital.
- Fire officials found a three-story building under renovation blown apart, with debris scattered across a sizable area near Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
- Good Samaritan Clayton Still entered the damaged structure and carried an injured man out to waiting officers before medics transported him.
- Residents in surrounding units were evacuated for safety assessments and are receiving assistance from Atlanta Fire Rescue, utilities, police and the Red Cross as investigators continue their work.