A massive explosion flattened a house in Bel Air, Maryland, early Sunday morning, killing at least one person and damaging surrounding homes.
Update on apparent house explosion. Volunteer Firefighters continue to search for victims. No current public threat. @HarfordCoDES Special Operations is responding with special equipment to search the rubble.
Media staging is Abingdon Library 2510 South Tollgate Road, Abingdon. https://t.co/B7srld2j6N pic.twitter.com/H6g08Iwjwb — Harford Co., MD Fire & EMS (@HarforCoFireEMS) August 11, 2024
The blast occurred in Harford County following a reported gas leak, according to local authorities.
Fire officials responded to the gas leak report, but before they could reach the scene, the house exploded, said Master Deputy Oliver Alkire of the Maryland State Fire Marshal's office. "I’ve been on the job for nearly 18 years," Alkire stated, "This is one of the largest explosions I’ve seen, especially in Harford County."
At least one person is dead after a house explosion in Bel Air, officials said. https://t.co/7sZB17UWTB pic.twitter.com/UuJAmXNmaI
— WBAL-TV 11 Baltimore (@wbaltv11) August 11, 2024
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Firefighters discovered one deceased victim at the explosion site. The victim's identity is pending notification of next-of-kin.
Update on apparent house explosion.@MarylandOSFM confirms the deceased victim is a @MyBGE contractor. The injured person is a neighbor. There remains one person unaccounted for. @HarfordCoDES Special Operations work along with @MarylandOSFM, @ATFBaltimore, and @Harford_Sheriff… https://t.co/cFkRJJTG72 pic.twitter.com/AS0I5PKuBW
— Harford Co., MD Fire & EMS (@HarforCoFireEMS) August 11, 2024
Around 60 emergency responders worked through debris to search for any additional victims.
Two Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE) workers, who had been called to address an electrical issue, were at the scene when the explosion happened.
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A woman from a neighboring home, which also sustained significant damage, was treated for minor injuries at the scene.
The exploded home was listed for sale, but it is unknown if anyone was inside at the time of the blast.
Authorities confirmed that a gas odor was detected in the area before the explosion. The cause of the blast is still under investigation, and it is uncertain whether it was intentional.
Bel Air, MD House Explosion - Aerial Videos/Photos of the scene of a reported apparent house explosion in the 2300 block of Arthur Woods Drive in #BelAirMD. #Explosion #Maryland #Abingdon #HouseExplosion pic.twitter.com/ueOPPhaVFt
— Tim Pruss, MyDrone.Pro (@MyDronePro) August 11, 2024
Officials have requested that the public avoid the area and refrain from flying drones overhead while investigators conduct their work. Residents within the blast radius are asked to report any structural damage to local authorities.
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Fifty years ago I saw a house explode from natural gas. I heard the boom and saw the house rise up about ten feet before disintegrating. Thought I was seeing things. Pulled up nearby and two poor women emerged screaming and singed. Then we heard fire in the wreckage. A man was in the basement changing hot water heaters, left the gas line on the floor without turning off the gas, hooked up the new hot water heater and lit the pilot. His body was blown out the basement stairs into the back yard.
Noooo! Don’t cut the green wire Ahmed!
It shouldn’t be difficult or expensive to install gas detectors that can shut off the supply before levels rise to a dangerous level.