ST. CLOUD -- A tragedy that struck St. Cloud exactly 20 years ago and the lives that were lost are being remembered today.

On December 11, 1998, a gas explosion in downtown St. Cloud killed four people, injured dozens and leveled several buildings.

The incident happened shortly before noon that day. Cable Contractors Inc. and Seren Innovations struck an underground granite slab while installing a cable anchor, deflecting the anchor into a gas line outside Book-Ems Bar. Gas escaped into Bellantti's Pizza & Deli, which was next door to the bar, and a spark ignited the explosion.

In the years following the explosion six wrongful death lawsuits were filed, all six were settled in 2004.

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