- A house explosion in Bel Air, Maryland, on Sunday killed two people and forced the evacuation of 12 homes.
- The explosion damaged several surrounding homes, and residents said they felt and heard the explosion.
- Fire crews were first called at about 6:40am on reports of a gas leak, and the house exploded shortly after being notified.
Two people were killed and 12 homes were displaced after an explosion at a Maryland home Sunday following reports of a suspected gas leak, fire officials said.
Neighbors in Bel Air, a town about 30 miles (50 kilometers) northeast of Baltimore, said they felt and heard the early morning explosion, which damaged many nearby homes.
According to Chief Deputy Oliver Alkire of the State Fire Marshal’s Office, firefighters were called to the scene at approximately 6:40 a.m. after reports of a gas leak and the smell of gas outside. As firefighters approached the scene, they began receiving calls that the home had exploded. Emergency personnel pronounced one person dead at the scene, and a second body was later found in the rubble.
FBI, police investigate multiple explosive devices planted in Hawaii after SUV destroyed
Alkire said a home next to the explosion sustained heavy damage and that a woman who lived there was treated for injuries at the scene. Two electrical workers were at the scene after reports of electrical problems, but officials did not immediately say whether that was related to the explosion.
Firefighters clear rubble after a home explosion in Bel Air, Maryland, on August 11, 2024. Fire officials said the home explosion amid reports of a possible gas leak killed two people and displaced 12 homes. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
The first victim found was later identified as a contractor for utility company BGE, according to a statement released by Harford County Fire and EMS.
The state fire marshal’s office said late Sunday that a second body had been found in the rubble of a home at the scene of the explosion. The body is believed to be that of the home’s 73-year-old owner, but identification is still pending, fire officials said in a statement.
Investigators are also working to determine how many homes were damaged and what the blast radius was. Harford County fire officials said at least 12 families were forced to evacuate due to damage to nearby homes. Officials said there is no ongoing threat to residents.
“I’ve been in this business for almost 18 years and this is one of the biggest explosions I’ve seen,” Alkire said.
Workers remove rubble after a house explosion in Bel Air, Maryland, on August 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
Photos posted by county officials showed several firefighters standing around the rubble of the home, with another damaged home in the background. Charred wood was piled on the property, and insulation and broken wood were strewn across the road. Small pieces of debris were hanging from a nearby tree. Emergency workers were seen using heavy machinery to search through the rubble by late afternoon.
More than 60 emergency personnel from multiple agencies responded to the scene, and the state fire marshal, sheriff’s department and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms assisted in the investigation, as is standard procedure.
Lisa Chavritko, who lives in a nearby apartment building, said the explosion woke her and her three children and knocked their pet birds to the ground.
She said the roofs of four apartment buildings had collapsed, sending aluminum siding to the ground. She attended a news conference at a nearby library and asked officials whether it was safe to be in the buildings.
She said she felt the impact of the explosion.
“The whole building shook like a major earthquake,” she said in an interview.
When the mother asked how she felt during the incident, her 8-year-old daughter said she was scared.
A house explosion occurs in Bel Air, Maryland, on August 11, 2024, and debris is seen in the street. (Joppa Magnolia Fire Department via The Associated Press)
“I thought a bomb had gone off,” Micah said.
The explosion woke Greg Clifford, who was fast asleep in a townhouse about a block away, and he initially thought it was a tree falling on his deck or a loud bang caused by lightning.
“The whole building shook,” Clifford said. “It was a really loud noise.”
Click here to get the FOX News app
He also noticed damage to his home.
“The bedroom window is out of its frame,” Clifford said, “which means you can see right into the deck below. The glass in the basement door didn’t break, but the wind blew it out and cracked the frame.”
