1 dead and at least 7 injured in Baltimore gas explosion
A gas explosion leveled three row houses in a northwest Baltimore neighborhood Monday morning, leaving a woman dead and at least six other people injured, authorities said.
Firefighters were searching by hand for more people trapped in the pile of bricks, drywall and lumber. One neighbor told a reporter for WBAL-TV of hearing cries of “Help! I’m here!” from people buried in the wreckage.
Seven people injured in the blast, which happened shortly before 10 a.m., were transported to a hospital in serious condition, said Blair Adams, a spokeswoman for the Fire Department. At least one of the injured was pulled from the rubble, she said.
The woman who was killed was pronounced dead at the scene, said Adams, who described the blast as “a major gas explosion.”
A fourth home was severely damaged but was still standing.
“It felt like a bomb,” said Barry Leventhal, owner of MidAtlantic Store Fixtures, which is near the site of the explosion.
He and his staff thought a plane had crashed onto the roof of the warehouse, he said, adding that his building’s concrete walls were cracked by the blast. “Everyone scattered,” he said. “They didn’t know what the hell happened.”
Trained dogs were brought in to assist in the search as rescue efforts continued Monday afternoon. “We’re prepared to be here throughout the night,” Adams said.
Workers for the utility company Baltimore Gas and Electric shut off gas to the entire block, a spokesman said.
Officials were trying to determine exactly how the explosion was touched off. The investigation will include inspection of gas mains and service piping leading to properties and gas meters, as well as nearby appliances, the gas company said in a statement.