Overview

• Authorities say a vehicle struck and ruptured gas lines feeding the under‑construction Eastern Carolina Veterinary Medical Center on New Centre Drive late Tuesday morning.
• Roughly 20 minutes after the crash, the building exploded as firefighters conducted a primary search to confirm it was empty.
• Three Wilmington firefighters were hospitalized, with two suffering non-life-threatening injuries and one sustaining severe burns to the hands and arms.
• Police identified the driver as 46-year-old Jason Lee Beach, who fled the scene before being taken into custody and charged with felony DWI with serious injury, hit-and-run, reckless driving, failure to maintain lane and possession of drug paraphernalia; bond was set at $100,000.
• No civilians or pets were hurt; gas was secured, the fire brought under control, most of New Centre Drive remained closed, and local and state partners continued investigating the exact cause and timing of the blast.