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1 Dead and at Least 2 Injured in Baltimore Gas Explosion 1 Dies and at Least 6 Are Injured in Baltimore Gas Explosion
(32 minutes later)
A gas explosion in Baltimore on Monday left one person dead and at least two others injured, the authorities said. A gas explosion leveled three rowhouses in a northwest Baltimore neighborhood on Monday morning, leaving a woman dead and at least six other people injured, the authorities said.
A woman was killed and the two injured were in serious condition, the Baltimore City Fire Department said on Twitter. 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.
The woman was pronounced dead at the scene, the Baltimore city firefighters union said on Twitter. Six 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 Baltimore City Fire Department. At least one of the injured was pulled from the rubble, she said.
Firefighters were searching for more people trapped in the rubble, the Fire Department said. The woman who was killed was pronounced dead at the scene, said Ms. Adams, who described the blast as “a major gas explosion.”
Three homes were leveled, the department said. Videos showed rubble and debris from the townhomes strewn across the street. Videos showed rubble and debris from the rowhomes strewn across the streets in front of and behind the homes. A fourth home was severely damaged but was still standing.
The Fire Department described the blast as a “major gas explosion.” “It felt like a bomb,” said Barry Leventhal, owner of MidAtlantic Store Fixtures, which is near the site of the explosion.
The utility company, Baltimore Gas and Electric, was at the scene and working to shut off gas to surrounding homes, a spokesman said. Once the gas is turned off, it will work to inspect the site and its equipment, he said. 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,” Ms. Adams said.
Workers for the utility company, Baltimore Gas and Electric, were shutting off gas to surrounding homes, a spokesman said. Once the gas is turned off, it will work to inspect the site and its equipment, he 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.
Baltimore Gas and Electric, the country’s oldest gas company, has been working to replace thousands of miles of aging gas pipes. The effort to replace the pipes, some from the 1950s and 1960s, will take at least two decades, The Baltimore Sun reported in September.
The number of leaks increased by 75 percent from 2009 to 2016, The Sun reported.
Baltimore Gas and Electric did not immediately respond to questions on Monday about the aging infrastructure.
Rescue crews were struggling against hot and humid weather. The Maryland Transit Administration sent three buses to the site of the explosion for displaced residents and rescue crews to sit in air-conditioning.
Paul Carden, a representative for the Red Cross, said the organization has provided food, water and counselors for residents affected by the blast. It will also provide lodging for residents who are unable to stay in their homes Monday night.
Marie Fazio contributed reporting.