Explosion happened at Jugo Café Tropical along Pine Avenue

Jugo Cafe Tropical (Ocala Police Department)

OCALA, Fla. – A restaurant exploded in Ocala on Friday, forcing a road closure as crews work to clean up in the aftermath, according to the police department.

Police said that the explosion caused the northbound and southbound lanes on Pine Avenue to close down between State Road 40 and Northwest 10th Street.

The explosion itself happened at Jugo Café Tropical, and first responders are at the scene to deal with debris and fire left in its wake, police said in a release.

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At 8:15 p.m., police announced that no one was inside when the explosion happened, and no injuries were reported. Furthermore, investigators explained that a gas leak appears to have been the cause.

UPDATE: Thankfully, no one was inside and no injuries were reported. It appears to be related to a gas leak. All northbound lanes are open. Southbound lanes are still closed but should open soon.

— Ocala Police (@ocalapd) June 24, 2023

Northbound lanes have since reopened. Southbound lanes are still closed, but police said drivers could expect them to reopen soon.

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