Business opens after explosion

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - Tyre Trak Automotive, which is directly across from the source of the devastating gas explosion on Worthington Street, is back open.

It was a very difficult and busy 11 weeks for owner, Tim Andrew, who at many points wasn’t sure the business could bounce back.

He explained, “We didn't know until the middle of January that it was going to go this way. We had serious concerns about whether the building would survive there was talk about possibly tearing it down and rebuilding it."  

Between insurance money and what they received from Columbia Gas, they were able to make extensive repairs.

Now, he's worried about the rest of the neighborhood which is not bouncing back as fast.

"There's not a lot of good publicity for downtown and this certainly doesn't make it better it makes it worse,” he said.

The blast leveled the Scores Gentleman's Club and impacted 42 other buildings.

The Square One Daycare Center was destroyed; they are still fundraising and looking at their options for rebuilding.

Repairs are being made on some buildings, others remain untouched.

On Taylor Street, repairs are almost complete at the Springfield Rescue Mission's Emergency Shelter.

They hope to be the next to reopen.