[1] Around 6:45 pm, an intense explosion occurred on Boylston Street between Washington and Tremont Streets—an area known as the Combat Zone.

The floor under the Paramount Hotel's cocktail lounge collapsed and around 30 of its patrons fell into the basement.

[3] Two more explosions followed, which resulted in the interiors of the Paramount and its neighboring hotel, The Plymouth partially collapsing, the destruction of Chatrelli's and a nearby cafe, and heavy damage to many other buildings.

His report blamed the blast on a leak from a gas main and found no one criminally responsible for the disaster.

The president of the Boston Gas Company disputed Adlow's findings, claiming that the main was destroyed as a result of the explosion.