several agencies rushing to crocker park. tonight we hear from terrified witnesses dig into the cause of this mess and take a deeper look at the history of problems at this construction site. and we are bringing you live team coverage of the explosion at crocker park. our team of report hears been investigating what started that fair at the center of the chaos, and talk abouting to all the other crocker park businesses who were impact and shut down by that explosion. right now, newschannel5's chris flanagan is kick off our park. what's it like out there? >> reporter: you can see the scene behind me with the lights dunn there. crocker park, crocker road you see behind me is open. a lot of businesses are closed right now as a precaution, including l.a. fitness and chipotle. a lot of restaurants within crocker park and businesses

let's show you what happened earlier today about 10:30 this morning. take a look at some of the pictures that we received interest our newsroom. really incredible, a lot of you sending in pics. a fair then erupts into a massive fireball. the blast was incredibly powerful. witnesses say the blast blew out windows from the front of the building and the sound could be heard from as far as rocky river. tara mo lynn that was among the first out here. how did this all happen? >> reporter: we still aren't sure what started the fire that led to that explosion. flames shot into the sky, then totally blew up. police and fire officials say was two construction propane tanks that caused the explosion. but they're still investigating what started this. luckily no injuries have been reported. but people across the west side

feel the ground shake. people all the way down the road could feel the heat from the fire. this man watched it happen. he told us he ran for cover and he's glad he did. >> it was a loud bam. i was inside l.a. glass. you could feel it. there was smoke and fire, and a piece of shrapnel threw all the way above the parking garage and landed directly in front of the front door of l.a. fitness right where i was standing two seconds before. >> reporter: i just talked to the westlake fire chief. he told me that the state fire marshall is here and he has taken over this investigation. >> certainly very unnerving for a lot of people here in the crocker park area. this explosion really has a ripple effect across the area. people as far away as port clinton could feel the explosion. our team coverage continues with kristin volk. so, kristin, how are the businesses dealing with today's explosion? >> reporter: well, chris, it

workers here along crocker road until they felt the ground shake and they heard a very loud, unusual noise. they ran outside, fearing something terrible had happened. one of them capturing what you are about to see on his cell phone. >> it was extremely loud. all the construction crews and firefighters started running towards us. >> reporter: this woman could not believe what she was seeing. >> the whole building shook. even dust to the floor. >> reporter: mercer was seeing patients across the street from the explosion. a half mile down the block -- >> it was very loud. >> reporter: workers described the same sort of scene. >> there was this huge, almost like a sonic boom, and the floor was rumbling as well as the ceiling. and we didn't know what it was. >> reporter: crocker road shut down soon after. emergency vehicles flooded the street and dozens of construction workers congregated outside the security perimeter.

it could have been -- thankfully, somebody noticed that the tank was on fire and yelled, and the order was given to evacuate. >> reporter: august was one of 250 workers inside the american greetings building when the fire started. everyone got out safely and witnessed the explosion from across the street, while others in the area witnessed it from afar. >> i had may hand on the window, and i was watching everything happen. and a few seconds after the explosion, the window got hot. >> reporter: the situation so intense, traffic rerouted. businesses along here shut down shortly after. >> a patient that was scheduled for 1:00 actually came from port clinton, and she was not permitted to come through. >> reporter: i spoke to american greetings today. they tell me they're not sure how this incident will affect their time frame for moving into that building. that was supposed to be this summer. they also sent me this statement which is on your screen. they say, we are grateful to

departments and additional neighboring cities. and they also say, we are extremely grateful to report only property damage to the north side of the building and no injuries. live in westlake, i'm kristin volk, newschannel5. this propane tank explosion is the latest in a series of construction problems out here at crocker park. crews have sliced into gas lines three times in the past two years. the first was in august of 2014 when crews hit a line near that same american greetings construction site. then nine months later in may of last year a line near the hit. all of those leaks caused traffic problems and two forced businesses to close, much like what is going on right now. of course, we're going to continue to dig in to what park explosion site. you can stay up to date on all

the developments on our free mobile app. we'll be back here live at 5:30 with more new developments on the propane gas explosion here at crocker park. live in westlake, chris flanagan. back in the studio now. >> okay, chris, thank you. as you could see in those live pictures, jason, it is still rang out there. >> yeah, steady rain all day long, leigh. so umbrellas for those out and about. if you are headed downtown, the same deal. the rain should really be around with us for much of the rest of your inc., eventually ending in the overnight. right now temperatures only in the mid-40s downtown. as you head inland, we're in the 50s, all the way down, north royalton, parma. akron/canton now at 58. we have really a good moisture plume from the south and west. it is light for the most part. we have a few areas of some heavier bursts of wet weather.

greens, maybe yellow, along route 18, u.s. 30, massillon, canton, wooster, all the way out towards mansfield. to the north and west we are drying out. that's going to be the weather later on tonight. but until that happens we've got a wet evening in the forecast. here is your hour by hour. rain showers with us. after midnight we dry things out, cool things off. frank and lee. >> now to a newschannel5 investigation. a convicted sex offender is behind bars after police say he kidnapped a teenage girl and tried to sell her for sex. >> not only is the suspect a repeat offender, he vile late his parole twice. we wanted to know why he wasn't in jail. megan hickey has the story all new at 5:00. megan, a legal expert told you this guy should have been locked up. >> reporter: he's a tier 3 sex offender with two probation violations. legal documents show that courts had the opportunity to

with the victim and her mother, still shaken from an encounter with this suspect. brown allegedly kidnapped the 17-year-old, tried to sell her for serks and gave her drugs. according to court records, she is brown's third teenage victim. >> it absolutely could have been prevented. there were red flags early on that this person was dave 80ing. >> reporter: after brown pleaded guilty to sexual battery charges he was told he could face prison time for violating parole. in march he failed to updates sex offender registration, but he didn't get jail time. just a community controlled caping shun or heightened probation. court records said the sentence would, quote, adequately protect the public. butt obviously didn't protect

>> this is an extreme example of the abuse of the system and to take place. >> reporter: now, brown also failed to report to his probation officer in january. i reached out to the gum who decided to impose that time. i did not receive a response. live in cleveland, megan hickey, newschannel5. >> he's going to lose ohio i'm going win ohio just watch. >> ohio governor john kasich picked up a couple of big endorsements. current ohio state buckeyes coach urban mayer and former coach jim tressel both supporting him. kasich and the rest will debate tonight. but the fight everyone is talking about are those happening at donald trump's rallies. check this out. >> get outta here. go home to mom. >> you heard him. look at this video right here. cell phone video shows a trump

punching a protester who was being escorted out by deputies. the protester was detained and the 78-year-old trump supporter was later charged. the job is done but don't let your kids go downstairs. >> that's what one woman says she was told after she had some electrical work done. we september our investigators out to check it. >> reporter: does this look like an electrical job that was completed? how about this? an exposed box, all kinds of wires? aim jonathan walsh, digging for answers. police say a convicted sex offender coerced a teenager boo becoming his paren crime. it's a story you will see only here at 5:30. ,and a woman finds herself in quite a predicament after trying and failing to drive

see the man what came to her rescue straight ahead. >> it was the hug seen round the world. today newschannel5 spoke with the college student who got one of our governor's signature hugs and was inspired to pick

republican senators insisting they will block president obama from nominate ago supreme court justice. >> the president called on gop senators to reconsider as he moves forward. mike brookbank is following late breaking developments. >> reporter: committee members meeting with president obama to talk about potential nominees for the supreme court. this meeting comes at a time that majority leader mitch mccom and others insisting they will not allow a hearing or vote on anyone obama nominates. >> this vacancy will not be filled this year. we will look forward to the american people deciding who they want to make this appointment through their own votes. >> my expectations are going to be will the senate do its job, as outlined in the constitution. >> president obama again today insisting that he will not be influenced by gop pressure.

be announced. plenty of speculation on who it might be. being considered. developing now at 5:00, a cleveland woman says she wants to hold city inspectors accountable. >> she told newschannel5 that mistakes were made with electrical problems inside of her home. our consumer investigator jonathan walsh is live on 5 outside city hall. jonathan, this woman reached out for help and you found this is a very complex problem. >> reporter: yeah, i talked to the woman. she lives on the east side. as i walked through her home i noticed quite a few questionable, if not dangerous, electrical situations. i talked to one city leader. i asked him, were there inspection mistakes made? >> i trusted that the city would back me up if all else fails. and that has not happen. >> reporter: charlene who, for

to be seen on camera, but she did want you to sea how an electrician left her home with unfinished work. she told me one inspector signed off on this work saying it was done, but -- >> he's never been to my home, and i don't know why he approved and said that the work was cleat. >> reporter: in the basement alone the box is wide open, wires exposed. add to that the older house has water collecting on the floor. >> it's not fair that i sur and may family summer. >> reporter: i talked with cleveland's building and housing director, ron o'leary. he told me the first inspector was out of the home. he made a mistake signing off. >> what he actually should have done was signed off op what's

>> director 0 leery did see the work. >> i'm going to ask the supervisor to go back and check again. >> reporter: now, there is a bond issue as far as the permit is concerned. so more investigation is promised along the way. but as far as that $2,000 coach that charlene for the work, the city tells me charlene is going to have to work that out on her own with the contractor. people down south are still dealing with flooding after a severe bout with bad river. perhaps this woman never heard that slogan, turn around, don't drown. fortunately you can see someone spotted her in trouble and helped carry her out of those flood waters back to safety.

we show that video. someone always tries to drive through the flood waters. >> turn around, don't. >> i know how high it is, right if. >> right. >> it doesn't take much running water to cause the car. i think we may have a few high water issues, but for the most part we're going to make it through this any issues. >> that's great. >> come to our city. >> that's sharp. >> enjoy keefe tend. >> i feel for folks downtown for the mac tournament, obviously some coming in from out of state. this is a clunker of a day. the weather will improve but today we're dealing with a lot of that. 46 downtown.

for this time of year our or 44. it's warmer. mid to upper 50s. the. same daily through me type that county. look at that heavy burst near ash land. we are going to see those areas of heavy rain move in and out over the next few hours. notice the warmer temperatures. that's where you see the yellows and oranges. notice here it is a pipe line of moise.

we'll start to see the rain showers end. certainly after midnight it looks like we will dry things out. 15. it acts like by midnight me. good thing the rain will be out of here. can't rule some out tomorrow. for the most part this should not be an issue tomorrow morning. along the might be. right now saturday lacks to be a decent day. sunshine to start. clouds and a few rain showers to end. so 38 tonight. rain will end most likely after midnight. should be relatively quiet with patchy fog, clouds to start, some sunshine to end, 48 degrees. we're going talk about a little

upcoming weekend and early next week.

we continue to follow a developing story on 5. it is the second day for people to pay respects to former first lady nancy reagan. >> it is also the final day for public viewing before a private service tomorrow. >> reporter: crowds filing into the reagan library to pay final respects to nancy reagan, here lying in repose. mrs. reagan's casket made its solemn and ceremonious arrival this weak, bus loads of people following shortly after to remember the first lady. >> it was very peaceful, serene.

and they inspired the country, and i want to pay tribute to the. >> she is totally behind her husband, and i think that's a beautiful thing to see. >> reporter: behind her husband ronald reagan for more than 50 years of marriage, and soon she will be laid to rest beside him at the library in this hillside tomb. after wednesday's funeral procession to bring mrs. reagan to the library, final preparations are underway for the private funeral of 1,000 invited guests including michelle obama and hillary clinton. >> curet is going to be very tight. we've got a number of extremely important dignitaries coming from around the world. >> reporter: giving readings at that service, mrs. reagan's son and daughter, journalists diane sawyer and tom brokaw and the former prime minister of canada. the young man was

>> a teenager police say was forced into a life of crime as a string of robberies he's been arrested for and the man police say coerced him, only on 5. and our live team coverage continues. all new next at 5:30, a major explosion rocks shoppers and businesses here at crocker park. we're live with the latest

chaos at crocker park where an explosion sent people running for cover at the construction site of the new american greetings headquarters. >> we have been following this breaking news since the explosion around 9:30 this morning. with live team coverage, right now that continues at 5:30. >> anchor chris flanagan live

chris, is everything there shut down still? >> reporter: yeah, a lot of the businesses and restaurants are shut down here at crocker park. crocker road is reopened. it was shut down for hours. you can see the site of the blast behind me. again, a lot of businesses and restaurants, including l.a. fitness and chipotle behind me, closing down tonight as a precaution. right now let me bring in newschannel5's tara molina. she was the first reporter on the scene. tar remarks what's the fire department telling you tonight? >> well, chris, i just talked to a westlake fire chief, and he told me that the state fire marshall is here, and he has taken over this investigation. again, i've been here all day. i've talked to multiple witnesses. he saw this explosion take place. words they used to describe it, unbelievable, terrifying, huge. they said they could feel the ground shake.

we know now that it was two massive propane tanks that caused that explosion but we don't toe what caused the initial fire. count on newschannel5 to continue digging into this. we have a team of reporters digging into this. >> you can guess that a lot of businesses are impacted. we even saw one post on facebook from a man what said the shrapnel reached the front fitness. that's an entire block. the impact of the explosion could be felt from port clinton to rocky river. incredible. now, shortly after the blast we spoke with witnesses who were filming the propane fire on their cell phone. they ended up catching the explosion on video. amazing video. one thing everyone is very thankful for, not a single person was hurt. the fire gave enough time for

the building. >> it could have been a lot worse. thankfully somebody noticed that the tank was on fire and yelled, and the order was given to evacuate. >> lucky indeed. we're continuing to dig into what happened todayy this major explosion here at crocker park. stay up to date on all the latest developments on our free mobile app, news net 5. we're updating it all day and all evening. we'll be back with more information. we're going to keep digging. more information live at 6:00. flanagan. >> amazing. too. >> port clinton to rocky river, that's a huge area, 50, 60 miles easily. as far as wet weather goes, we've seen it today. currently we're getting it wayne county. showers have been around. there have been bursts of heavier rain, but right now we've been able to avoid any

it is cold. temperatures are in the mid-40s along the rain shore. 54 par marks 53 in north royal ton. let's head out to the team. reason why we're doing this, we have a cold front moving in. the cold air is already going to be felt here. avon lake. crocker park temperature right now 50 degrees. as this cold air rushes in we are going to see readings fall. it is basically raining everywhere across the newschannel5 viewing area. some areas a little heavier than others. we find a couple of areas here pocket of yellow. that's right there along the medina county/wayne county line. sterling, creston, lodi, and millersburg as well. a lot of moisture. into the overnight hours things will begin to dry out. we'll take a look at the weekend forecast coming up.

accused of coercing a teen into stealing from -- shoplifting and smash-and-grabs. >> bob jones has details will you only see on 5. you talked with a key witness who helped crack the case. >> reporter: frank, he's legally blind, so it's not about what he saw but what he heard that provided a big clue. investigators believe a sex offender pressured a 16-year- old boy to commit several crimes. >> debris scattered all over the road. >> reporter: deputies responding to an alarm find a gaping hole from a smash-and- grab. two bikes and other items were snatched. $21,000 in damage left behind. >> i hear a tremendous crash. >> reporter: john thought something crashed into the shop across the street but since's legally blind, he wasn't sure. >> i'm just going by sound. >> reporter: he kept listening

>> i could tell the vehicle headed west. that's pretty obvious. it i don't think i was that much of an asset. >> reporter: but investigators called it an important first clue. they followed tracks along with other evidence leading them to a convicted sex offender. the captain told me the man ordered the teen to shoplift from several stores. the owner of a second happened shop says this video shows the man distracting her while the boy steals shoes. >> he never said a word. the other man did all the talking, and the younger kid just looked at me with fear. >> hunter says the teen should know right from wrong, but he also believes he was manipulated. >> it's troubling that a convicted sex offender is influencing this young man in

>> deputies tell me when the man was arrested he was wearing socks and slippers that he told the boy to steal for him. both were arrested, but formal this time. live in the newsroom, bob jones. developing tonight, five people executed in pennsylvania, and the killers, they got away. the brutal assault and what one witness said about the children involved in the chaos straight ahead. and it was an emotional day in court as the family members of a murder victim confronted the family of the killer before the judge handed down the sentence. but right now here is a look at

world of weather time. we're going to head down where the weather is the most severe, across portions of the gulf.

strikes between baton rouge and new orleans. we have flood watches, flood warnings. see these circles? as we told you earlier some spots across north we were louisiana up to 12, maybe even 16 inches of rain. massive flooding. more thunder as you head through portions of mississippi, even into alabama, then heading closer to home more rain reports and also some flooding reports west of nashville, west of louisville. all this wet weather, check it out, is really on a conveyor belt from the south and west, moving here into northern ohio. but the good news is for the most part the heavier rain, the flooding rains, those should stay to the south where the air is warmer. we're dog track this rain and a sneak peek into your upcoming weekend as well, which does have some good news. stay with us.

prosecutors are calling it planned, calculated, and brutal. two gunmen are on the run from the law in pennsylvania after police say they plotted and carried out a mass shooting at a barbecue overnight. police say one gunman drove by the home where as many as 15 people were cooking out and then targeted with a pistol. they fled to the backyard where an accomplice was waiting with a hey-velocity rifle and targeted those survivors. >> it was just mass chaos. people were crying. people were everywhere, and

children in the house, and they moved some of the children out of the house where all the events took place, into another house. >> a man and four women were all killed, including a pregnant woman. two others were left in critical condition. now, all new at 5:00, we told you yesterday about a nuisance bar that has to make a lot of changes to reopen after a history of violence. >> club fly high won't be allowed to reopen as nightclub. it also has to change its name, close by midnight, and hire off- duty police officers as security. guns will be banned. the club shut down after a murder. leon bibb has the story of the emotional sentence which is brought the families of the killer and victim together in court. >> reporter: you're right about that, lee. the murderer was told his actions brought much heart break all around, including to his on the part family.

two families were thrown together because of a murder. the son of one family what was murdered by the son of another. this is the cuyahoga county courtroom. sentencing day. convicted. last year it was at the fly high bar on cleveland's superior avenue and east 70th street where there was a gun. today while the murderer stood within sight, the father spoke of his dead son of whom the father was proud. >> this is beyond words. i miss my son. lord, have mercy. >> reporter: this tragedy has two sides. the mother of the convicted was there, too, knowing for certain he is bound for prison. >> this is bad for both families.

>> reporter: from the back of the room came an outburst. a court case which is gut wrenching. a family's pain. a stop in grave, and the family groving. the story of one family's son who was murdered by the son of another family. lash is going to prison for life with no chance for parole for 31 years. before lash, handcuffed, was led away, the judge told him how two families were emotionally troubled by what he had done. the family of the murder vic, and his own family. fallout. she also says, you've left a broken trail of hearts as lash was led away to be again a long stretch in prison. leon bibb, newschannel5. >> thanks, leon. you couldn't help but notice all those umbrellas. >> all the reporters and

same daily for folks in and out of downtown. we've got the mac tournament. watch some games tonight. are you going to check them >> no, no. >> not a mac guy. >> big 12. >> you know what's up. >> my bobcats are starting in about an hour. here we go. check it out. the rain came in quickly. of moisture. the clouds made it tough to see, and a few areas did break up just a bit, but that's what it looks like right now. let's continue the tour into downtown akron. notice the rain showers there as well. nothing really heavy or that significant. same daily for wooster. wooster, low clouds, as well as rain showers. our lens is certainly rain dampened. same deal for ashtabula. more rain there. so for the most part, as promised last night and yesterday afternoon, today would be a soaker.

but the good news, by the time we get into tomorrow and for much of your saturday we dry out. more rain for the weekend. a little more april-like than we would normally expect in early march. north royalton, solon, temperatures low to mid-50s. still in the 40s along the lakeshore. vermilion, sandusky, avon, 45 to 50. so the cold air is moving in from the west. that's something we're going to continue to track. notice we're looking at light rain. it is everywhere. heavier bursts here. this is right around montrose, fairlawn, the route 18 exit. farther north and east a few showers lake geauga and ashtabula county, south of massillon, south and west of downtown canton.

this is around the brass -- around the brewster area. eventually there are pocket of heavier rain. notice across the south that's where it's really raining. a wet evening is in the forecast. this conveyor belt of moisture is going to continue over the next several hours. we keep rain in the forecast between now, all the way through 9:00, 10:00, and slowly falling temperatures. check out the clock here. this is 10:15. hey, we're drying out, northwest to southeast. i still think if you're interstate 77 and east you have a good chance of the rain hanging on. tomorrow morning we start with a little fog. temperatures chilly in the 30s. sunshine increase. chilly, 40s and 50s south, 30s and 40s along the lake short. chilly through the afternoon. 45 or. so then it looks like for saturday we will track some rain showers, most likely later in the day. rainfall estimates in the all that impressive. some areas half an inch to maybe approaching three- quarters of an inch.

be careful out and about. 30s for lows tonight. highs tomorrow are tricky. clouds to sunshine. along the lakeshore, vermilion, lorain, stuck in the 40s. mid-40s euclid over towards westlake. once you head inland i think 50 or better is possible alliance, akron, and canton. afternoon showers for saturday. sunday wet as well as monday. don't forget spring forward. st. patrick's day highs near 50 with scattered showers. here's what's coming up at 6:00. an alarming problem with deadly consequences. what is killing young teens and what police are trying to do to stop these deaths. a nasty problem keeping kids out of one school. what we've learned about the problem tonight and when kids could head back to class. >> first, meet the college student working for the kasich campaign what went viral.

as governor john kasich gets ready in florida for tonight's debate there is an army of supporters work here in ohio. >> they're making calls and knocking on doors to drive out the vote next tuesday. john kosich joins us from the newsroom. you caught up with one of the volunteers who add very public introduction. >> reporter: he went to a kasich rally in south carolina not sure if he would get the chance to meet the governor. he did. and within hours the country met him. >> i was just wondering if we could count on your support tuesday in the primary. >> reporter: making calls is brett smith, college student from georgia. >> i'm from franklin, georgia, but no one knows where that is, so i usually say south of atlanta. >> reporter: if he lacks or sounds familiar this is why. at the end of the south

kasich of losing a father figure to suicide, his parents going through a divorce, and his dad losing his job. >> but i found hope. i found it in the lord and in my friends. and now i've found it in my presidential candidate that i support. i'd really appreciate one of those hugs you've been talking about. >> reporter: within hours the moment would be replayed across the country. he knew c span was there that day. >> but i thought maybe my grandma might see me. i didn't think, you know -- >> reporter: brett, who decided to use his spring break to help kasich has been enjoying his new found celebrity status. >>'s kind of neat to have people recognize you and know you for something that's positive. so i've gotten a lot of hugs here in ohio. >> the university of georgia senior is a political science major getting a real life lesson now on presidential politics. john kosich, newschannel5.

it was an explosion that rocked a popular shopping area. >> two propane tanks that were dangerously close to a fire at crocker park caused a sear i couldn't say property damage at a construction site. we have live reports from crocker park, that's coming up. plus, how was a sex offender who violated his parole twice on the stress and able to prey on another victim? we take a deeper look when newschannel5 at 6:00 starts in

a huge explosion rocks crocker park causing panic. >> a piece of shrapnel flew

front of the front door of l.a. fitness where i was standing two seconds before. >> leaping flames and giant plumes of smoke add to the confusion. >> there was this huge -- almost like a son sick boom. we didn't though what it was. >> tonight our team of report incident. live coverage starts now. >> by now you may have seen this video. a propane tank is blamed for the explosion at the american greetings construction site. >> that tank caught fire and later exploded sending vibrations throughout the park. chris flanagan is live tonight at crocker park where he is uncovering new information about what went wrong. chris. >> reporter: frank, thankfully no one was seriously injured. crews are on scene trying to find out exactly how this could have happened. this all unfolded around 10:30