MIAMI TOWNSHIP (HAMILTON COUNTY), Ohio -- Five men were hospitalized after a minor boiler explosion at a church Wednesday afternoon.
The boiler "failure" happened at Crossroads West Side in the 8500 block of Bridgetown Road at about 2:40 p.m., Fire Chief Steve Ober said. The failure sent shrapnel flying and blew out windows.
The five men -- two repairmen and three church staff -- were taken to University of Cincinnati Medical Center, officials said. Four had minor injuries, and one had fractures to every bone in his face from the top of his head to his mouth, as well as a blunt force chest injury.
The one man was listed in critical but stable condition after five hours of surgery, according to Amy Davidson, his sister-in-law. He required a tracheotomy and was expected to remain hospitalized for three or four weeks and undergo two more surgeries.
Fire crews were still investigating the cause of the boiler failure.
Crossroads posted on Facebook that building officials were checking out the structure. The church hoped to have normal services this weekend
