Explosion Leads to Fire at Historic Columbus Museum

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Emergency crews responded to a natural gas leak and explosion at the historic Kelton House Museum & Garden on Monday afternoon. The Columbus Fire Department received reports of the incident around 2:32 p.m. and dispatched more than a dozen fire units to the scene.

Crews arrived to find flames and smoke coming from the building’s roof, prompting an urgent response. A local resident reported hearing a loud boom and feeling her house shake due to the explosion. Fortunately, no injuries have been reported.

A spokesperson for the Columbus Fire Department confirmed that the explosive event led to a partial collapse of the structure. Columbia Gas is also on site to assist with the situation. Although initial fears led to a mayday call from the firefighters, the alert was later canceled.

Authorities reported that there are no complete road closures in the area. However, traffic along East Town Street is blocked in both directions from Lester Drive to South Washington Avenue.

The Kelton House, founded in 1976, is a 19th-century home significant for its role in the Underground Railroad. It is located in Columbus’s Discovery District and serves as both a museum and educational center.

This is a developing story. 10TV has crews on the ground gathering more information and will provide updates as they become available.