Backdraft explosion puts Ohio firefighters in danger

Several Ohio firefighters are lucky to be alive after a backdraft explosion.

The Franklin county firefighters responded Monday to a fire at a restaurant called the P-H Bistro near Cincinnati.   The owner, Tim Smith, who lived upstairs was sleeping at the time. 

Smith said, "I didn't know how bad it was until I made it out.  I was in front of the building and it sounded like popcorn and my front window was just like crackling."

Kyle Henry was shooting video of the fire on his cell phone.   He witnessed three firefighters enter the burning building.  "As soon as they did there was a backdraft explosion.  Caused all the windows out of the front of the building to explode outward on the crews," Henry said.

Thankfully, none of the firefighters or onlookers were injured.  Henry said, "we knew three of them went in and right after the explosion, all three of them came crawling out."

The fire destroyed the historic restaurant which has been around since the 1930's.  It also damaged two other buildings.  The cause of the fire is under investigation.