Donations rise as explosion fallout expands, tenants displaced

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – As the scene around the damaged Realty Building and International Towers is quiet for now, there’s been a lot happening behind the scenes.

Bob Hannon, president of United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley, said a number of businesses, banks and philanthropists have stepped up in the last several weeks after dozens gathered to discuss helping residents who were evacuated from the apartment buildings earlier this month.

“We have over $100,000 in revenue raised,” Hannon said. “Many of these people do get a monthly check, so they can pay for some of their own. We’ve tried to provide some food vouchers. We’ve tried to provide some opportunities for them to live as easy as possible,”

Hannon said 60 residents are staying at a local hotel and others have been taken in by different nursing homes.

Although the initial plan was to be away for 30 days, Hannon thinks it will be longer and that plans need to be made to handle needs in the short-term, medium and long-term, and not just for those who were evacuated.

“It is more than just those in the explosion zone,” Hannon said.

WKBN 27 First News has heard several stories of downtown businesses struggling just to stay open through ongoing road construction which was made worse by last month’s explosion.

“These places are really, really suffering, and can we do something at some point — maybe have a Youngstown Celebration where we bring people downtown to spend money with this group or maybe support them financially,” Hannon said.

Hannon hopes to learn more when he meets with the mayor and city leaders about the situation later this week.

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