Recovery is just starting for the four men badly burned in an explosion in Chandler last week.
Phil Ryan’s sons Andrew and Dillon Ryan own Platinum Printing in the strip mall at Rural and Ray roads.
They were inside the business when an explosion happened Thursday morning, and the blast left them with severe burns.
“It’s hard for them to see past today with their injuries and the pain they’re enduring,” Phil said. “They’re just trying to get through every day.”
Phil said both Andrew and Dillon had surgery Monday to try and get some of the dead and burned skin and tissue removed from their bodies.
It’s the very beginning of what’s anticipated to be a long recovery process.
“There are more unknowns than there are knowns,” Phil said.
Investigators from the Chandler Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms are looking into why a strip mall exploded, causing damage to several storefronts and injuring the men.
Phil found out about the explosion Thursday morning when his wife called him, and he went to the scene immediately.
“My heart just dropped I didn’t know what happened to the kids because I didn’t know where they were,” Phil said.
Andrew, Dillon, their employee and childhood friend, Parker Milldebrandt and an employee of an eyeglass repair shop a couple of doors down, Glenn Jordan, were all taken to the hospital with burn injuries.
Milldebrandt’s wife is also expecting the couple’s first child in the next few days.
“My prayers just go out for Parker because he’s been burnt the worst and he still in an induced coma,” Phil said.
Phil said Andrew started the shop back in 2007 in a different building in Chandler.
“Within six months the great recession hit,” Phil said. “Pretty much fell apart and was stumbling along for the next five years.”
Phil said he tries to instill perseverance in his children and encouraged them to keep going.
Dillon eventually joined Andrew in running the business.
“They really teamed up nicely. Andrew was the friendly, gregarious one. Dylan is the business-minded one,” Phil said.
Phil said the pair moved the shop to Rural and Ray about four years ago.
“They just kept trudging along until they finally got it to work and it’s only been in the last 12 months that it really has taken off and done so well,” Phil said. “I am just so proud of my boys.”
The explosion on Thursday blew the roof off the building, busted out the windows and crumpled interior walls. Shattered glass still fills the length of the parking lot in front of the storefront.
Chandler Police said a gas leak was found at the location, however, it’s not been released yet as to what caused the explosion.
A spokesperson for the department said both police and ATF investigators were able to get inside the building to conduct their investigation and should have an update by Tuesday.
Phil said it’s been the outpouring of love from the community that’s helped the family push through now.
“They’ll get through it,” Phil said.
All four victims - Glenn Jordan, Parker Milldebrandt and Andrew and Dillon - have GoFundMe pages set up.
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