A body was recovered Thursday afternoon from the wreckage of the three-story Minneapolis apartment building destroyed by a New Year's Day explosion, fire officials confirmed.
"At approximately 1:55 p.m. Minneapolis Fire Department officials confirmed that one body was discovered in the structure at 516 Cedar Ave. S.," said a statement by Assistant Fire Chief Chérie A. Penn.
Penn said the victim has been turned over to the Hennepin County medical examiner's office. She said crews will continue to remove debris until dark and will resume their work Friday morning.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation. At a news conference Thursday afternoon, the Minneapolis fire chief said the fire in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood was most likely caused by a natural gas leak.
At least 14 people were injured, six critically in the explosion and fire Wednesday that destroyed an immigrant-owned grocery store and the apartments above it. Two people were not accounted for.
Family members identified them as Mrimri Farah, said to be about 60 years old, and Ahmad Ali, 57. Ali's ex-wife Hawo Daqare said they divorced in 2006 but continued to share parenting of their son. "I feel very bad but I cannot do anything. Imagine if you lost someone."
She said Ali lived in Apartment No. 6 on the second floor.
Fire Chief John Fruetel said Thursday afternoon that witness accounts of a natural gas smell and the explosion strongly suggest that gas was involved.