May 20, 2025 | Ohio Sentinel News
CLEVELAND, OH — In a shocking and unprecedented turn of events, downtown Cleveland has been plunged into chaos after a series of mysterious underground explosions ripped through major parts of the city early Tuesday morning, prompting a city-wide emergency response and immediate evacuation orders across multiple districts.
According to local officials, the first explosion was reported at 4:12 AM near Public Square, followed by a chain of detonations underneath critical infrastructure, including sections of the Cleveland Clinic, Tower City Center, and Lakefront Municipal Stadium. Entire blocks are now cordoned off, with sinkholes, burst gas lines, and collapsed roadways reported in at least six zones.
“It felt like an earthquake, but then manhole covers started blowing into the air — one almost hit my car,” said Marcus Daniels, a delivery driver who narrowly escaped the second blast downtown. “People were running. Screaming. It was like a war zone.”
City officials have declared a Level 5 State of Emergency, urging residents to stay indoors if safe or evacuate under National Guard supervision. Over 40 emergency response units, including bomb squads and geological experts, are now on scene as speculation mounts over whether the explosions were natural, accidental, or the result of a coordinated attack.
The FBI and Department of Homeland Security are now involved, citing the “unusual sequence and intensity” of the blasts. While authorities have not confirmed terrorism, an anonymous federal source told Ohio Sentinel:
“The pattern doesn’t resemble a natural gas explosion. We’re exploring all possibilities — including sabotage beneath the city’s infrastructure.”
At least 19 injuries have been reported so far, with three people listed in critical condition. Emergency shelters have been set up at John Hay High School, Cleveland State University, and FirstEnergy Stadium. Power outages now affect more than 120,000 residents as utility grids struggle to respond.
The city’s iconic lakefront and downtown skyline are now blanketed in smoke and dust. Social media footage shows massive street cracks, toppled lampposts, and entire sections of Euclid Avenue sunken or impassable. Residents across Cuyahoga County are being warned to avoid all non-essential travel and to monitor emergency broadcasts.
As Clevelanders wake up to an unfolding disaster unlike anything in the city’s modern history, one question looms large and chilling:
What lies beneath — and is it over yet?