Belmont Bakery Unable to Reopen in Same Location After Explosion

BELMONT, MA – The owners of a Belmont bakery that was severely damaged in an explosion in March said this week they will not be able to return to their original location on Common Street.

Paul and Marybeth Klemm wrote on Facebook Thursday that the decision came from their landlord.

"We are extremely shocked and disappointed by this!" they wrote. "It has been very depressing and we feel so lost and sad."

The Klemms said they are working with commercial real estate agents to find property nearby and have scouted locations in Belmont, Watertown, Cambridge and Arlington.

Ohlin's Bakery, owned by the Klemms, was severely damaged in an explosion in the early morning hours of March 15. The blast came as owner Paul Klemm and an employee were turning the oven on to start the day.

It knocked Klemm off of his feet and left his colleague uninjured. Klemm escaped with singed hair and eyebrows, and his employee later sought medical attention.

The explosion knocked out the back wall of the bakery and damaged the window of a barbershop. Other surrounding stores sustained minor damage.

Read the Klemms' statement in full below:

Image via Google Earth Screenshot