A massive explosion occurred in Maryland on Sunday morning, burning down a home, killing at least one person and damaging surrounding homes within the blast radius, authorities said.
The explosion occurred in the Harford County town of Bel Air following reports of a gas leak, Harford County fire officials said at a news conference.
Fire departments initially responded to a report of a gas leak, but were still en route to the home when it exploded, Maryland State Fire Marshal Oliver Alkire said.
“I’ve been in this business for almost 18 years,” Alkire told reporters, “and this is one of the largest explosions I’ve ever seen, especially in Harford County.”
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At least one person was killed when a home exploded in Bel Air, Maryland, on Sunday morning following a reported gas leak. (Harford County Volunteer Fire and EMS, Maryland)
Firefighters found the body of one victim at the scene, whose identity was not immediately available as authorities notified family members.
About 60 emergency workers rushed to the scene, digging through piles of rubble to search for other victims.
Mr. Alkire is 2 Baltimore Gas and Electric BGE workers had been called in to investigate an electrical problem and were on scene when the explosion occurred. It is unclear whether the victim who died was a BGE worker.
Alkire added that a woman living in a home next door, which was heavily damaged, suffered minor injuries and was treated at the scene.
Alkire said the home that exploded was for sale, but it was unclear whether anyone was inside the home when the explosion occurred.
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Alkire acknowledged that there was a smell of gas at the site before the explosion. He told reporters it was unclear whether the explosion was intentional.
“At this point we don’t know anything so we have to treat every scene like a crime scene,” Alkire said.
The cause of the explosion remains under investigation.
Authorities asked the public to stay away from the area and not to fly personal drones in the air while investigators work there.
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Residents living within the blast radius were asked to report any damage to their buildings to authorities.
