A massive gas pipeline explosion on Monday morning shook a neighborhood in northwest Baltimore, killing at least one person and injuring four, officials said.
The blast – at Labyrinth and Reisterstown Roads – happened shortly before 10 a.m. ET and killed at least one woman, according to the Baltimore City Fire Department.
Three victims were quickly found and taken to hospital, spokesman Blair Adams of the city letter told reporters around noon, moments after firefighters had just pulled a fourth injured resident out of the rubble.
Firefighters believed they were nearby to find a fifth injured resident, according to Adams.
“At the moment, it is unclear what caused the explosion. We are continuing to look for additional residents,” Adams said.
“It’s a labor-intensive rescue. Again, it was a big gas explosion, so you had houses that were pretty crumbling – a ton of debris on the ground that we were trying to comb.
Three houses were found to have been destroyed in the blast as firefighters sat frantically through rubble to search for more possible victims.
“We are on the scene and working closely with the fire department to make the situation safe,” Baltashaore and Electric Company spokeswoman Tasha Jamerson said in a statement.
“Crews are working on releasing gas to the buildings in the immediate area. Once the gas is out, we can safely assess the situation, including inspections of BGE equipment.”
Firefighters were in full gear as they battled the debris and the 90-degree heat with high humidity in the afternoon making it feel like 100 degrees.
“It’s a lot of work by hand, a lot of back-breaking work,” International Association of Fire Fighters Local 734 President Rich Langford told NBC News. “It’s very hard and our boys are pushing through to get the job done.”
This is an evolving story, please refresh here for updates.
Janhvi Bhojwani contributed.
