One person died in an explosion at around 9:30 Saturday morning in Columbia City.  Two people managed to escape.

According to ABC21 in Fort Wayne, witnesses said they heard a blast and saw a fireball shoot into the air.

The blast occurred at the old R&D Cycle shop at the intersection of North Line Street and Diplomat Drive.  There was also damage to the optometry office next door. Several cars were also destroyed in the explosion.

EARLIER:

Residents in Columbia City were rattled by an explosion Saturday morning.

The explosion occurred in a warehouse near Dollar General on Line Street.  According to the Whitley County Sheriff’s Department‘s Facebook page, power is out throughout the area, impacting traffic signals.

The Sheriff’s Department is asking that residents avoid the Line Steet area as fire crews are currently battling the warehouse fire.

This story is ongoing and will be updated as more information comes in.