1 person found dead in Maryland house explosion
Written by ABC Audio. All rights reserved. on August 11, 2024
(BEL AIR, Md.) — At least one person was found dead and two others were injured when an explosion Sunday morning leveled a home and damaged multiple neighboring residences in a suburban Baltimore neighborhood, authorities said.
The blast was reported around 6:42 a.m. on Arthur Woods Drive in the Harford County city of Bel Air, about 32 miles north of Baltimore, according to officials.
A photo posted on X by Harford County Fire and Emergency Medical Services showed firefighters battling a small fire and searching the remains of the home, which was reduced to splintered pieces of wood, insulation and other debris.
“I’ve been on the job for 18 years and this was one of the largest explosions I’ve seen,” Master Deputy State Fire Marshal Oliver Alkire said during a news conference Sunday.
Alkire said firefighters from the Harford County Fire Department were responding to a report of a gas leak in the area when the explosion occurred.
Jeffrey Sexton, a spokesperson for the Harford County Fire and EMS Association, confirmed that one person was found dead in a large debris field caused by the explosion. The name of the deceased person was not immediately released.
Sexton said search-and-rescue crews are still combing the rubble as of mid-morning Sunday.
Alkire said workers from the Baltimore Gas and Electric company had also responded to the area before the explosion to investigate an electrical issue. Alkire said a BG&E worker was injured by the blast.
He said a woman in a neighboring home damaged by the explosion was also hurt and treated at the scene.
Alkire said multiple homes were damaged and that a damage assessment was being conducted. He said no evacuations have been ordered.
Alkire confirmed the house that exploded was for sale.
Residents in the neighborhood reported hearing the loud explosion and feeling their houses shake, authorities said.
The cause of the explosion is under investigation by the Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office, the Harford County Sheriff’s Department and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
ABC News’ Davone Morales contributed to this report.
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