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A building set to open as the Eastern Carolina Veterinary Medical Center exploded on Aug. 19 after a vehicle hit a gas line.

Five firefighters were injured in the blast, but no one was killed.

The driver, Jason Lee Beach, has been charged with DWI and other offenses.

Officials are working to salvage equipment, including an MRI machine, and plan to rebuild.

Despite the setback, staff intend to continue operations at its current location and pursue temporary solutions to expand services.

Gary Walker knows the Aug. 19 building explosion on New Centre Drive could have been far worse if it happened a little bit later in the day.

"We had a group of people heading to that building that would have been there half an hour later," said Walker, the hospital administrator fo

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