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Houston explosion: Corvettes worth $1M trapped inside buildings flattened by blow

More than a dozen Corvettes worth about $1 million were trapped inside buildings flattened by the deadly explosion at a Houston manufacturing warehouse, according to a new report.

The Houston Corvette Service, a restoration business, is right across the street from Watson Grinding & Manufacturing, where the Friday morning explosion occurred. Owner Gordon Andrus told CNN that two company buildings — holding about 15 cars worth around $1 million in total — were destroyed.

“The charge blasted across the street, right over our buildings and then on into the neighborhoods where you’ve heard about all the houses that have been damaged,” Andrus told the network. “The rest of the street had very minor damage but my two buildings are flattened.”

He says he doubts the cars themselves were completely destroyed — but it’s just a matter of removing them from the rubble.

“The buildings will have to be torn down,” he told the network. “So the question is, what do I have to do to shore the building up enough to get them cars out of there and what’s it going to take to repair the cars?”

Andrus told CNN he has contacted each affected customer. While he owns a few cars trapped in the buildings, that’s not a concern at the moment, he said.

“Every car is insured, and we’re in the business of repairing and restoring cars,” he said. “We will make it right one way or another.”

The 25-year-old restoration business occupies four buildings in total — and two of them, used for paint and body work, are still intact, he said.

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A building is damaged after an explosion at a northwest Houston, Texas, manufacturing business.
A building is damaged after an explosion at a northwest Houston, Texas, manufacturing business.Getty Images
Red "danger" tape circles a damaged home on Bridgeland Lane in Houston.
Red "danger" tape circles a damaged home on Bridgeland Lane in Houston.AP
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A drone image of damage at the site of an explosion in Houston.
A drone image of damage at the site of an explosion in Houston.Reuters
Windows of local business are damaged near the scene of an explosion in Houston.
Windows of local business are damaged near the scene of an explosion in Houston.Reuters
Smoke fills the sky after a massive explosion rocks west Houston.
Smoke fills the sky after a massive explosion rocks west Houston.AP
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But since the explosion, Andrus hasn’t been able to recover his computer, account records and payroll information because authorities are investigating, he told the outlet. He hopes to access all of it as soon as possible.

“Then I can pay my guys, start getting things organized,” Andrus said. “As soon as I get in there, we’re gonna move the operations to my paint shop.”

Two Watson employees were killed in the blast that rattled homes, damaged property and displaced residents.

Authorities are continuing to investigate what caused the explosion, a process they say could take months.