Durham police confirmed that the explosion on April 10 at Kaffeinate coffee shop in Brightleaf Square had killed the store’s owner, sixty-one-year-old Kong Lee. At least seventeen others were taken to the hospital, some in critical condition.
According to the DPD, the explosion, which took place shortly after 10:00 a.m. yesterday—Durham’s 150th birthday—was triggered by a gas leak that was reported at 9:38 a.m. at Kaffeinate, which was leveled.
This is a developing story. If you’d like to help those affected, please consider donating to the Durham Restaurant Workers Fund, Bull City Rebuilds, or the Lee family. Here, we’ve collected photos and videos from bystanders following the frightening blast.
