What officials describe as a “major gas explosion” devastated a neighborhood in northeast Baltimore mid-morning on Monday. Search and rescue operations are underway. A number of victims have been pulled from the rubble, with more casualties expected to be discovered as search and rescue efforts continue.
By midday, some preliminary information is available regarding the lethal Baltimore gas explosion. Three houses in the neighborhood were flattened in the blast. An unknown number of other homes were damaged, many significantly so.
As mentioned, search and rescue efforts are underway. By noon, at least one victim killed in the devastating gas explosion had been pulled from the rubble. Rescue workers indicate that the death toll associated with the Baltimore gas explosion is expected to rise are their efforts continue throughout the day.
A yet to be established number of individuals were injured. As of midday, at least four people were transported to a Boston hospital in serious condition. The possibility exists that other injured individuals remain trapped in the rubble.
When one seriously injured victim was extracted from the wreckage by rescue workers, neighbors at the scene cheered the effort and hollered well wishes to the explosion victim. From her stretcher, the woman who had been trapped for two hours in the rubble gave a thumbs up to her neighbors.
Shortly after the extraction of this woman from the wreckage, a man was pulled from the blast debris. His condition was not immediately available, but he also appears to have been transported to an area medical center.
Baltimore Fire Chief Niles Ford held an impromptu press briefing at noon. He described the Baltimore gas explosion in stark terms. “This is a very intense explosion. This is a horrendous type situation that we’re dealing with at this point.”
One of the decimated homes belonged to an 88-year-old U.S. Army veteran. The former soldier served in the Korean conflict. His immediate condition is not known. He was able to make a statement regarding the complete loss of his Baltimore home. He stated that the gas explosion sounded like the battlefield in Korea.
Because intensive search and rescue efforts are underway at this time, the investigation into the cause of the Baltimore gas explosion has not yet commenced in earnest. The investigation in to the cause is expected to commence once the search and rescue phase completes, later Monday or sometime Tuesday.
As of Monday afternoon, there was no immediately available information that anyone in the neighborhood has any warning in advance of the explosion. In many such incidents, the odor added to natural case to warn of a leak or other problem is detected in advance of an explosion. With that said, the official investigation into the gas blast very well may reveal that indications of an issue may have existed in advance of the explosion.
Unfortunately, gas pipeline explosions in residential neighborhoods and in business districts are alarmingly common in this day and age. While these devastating events occur for a number of reasons, the most commonplace underlying cases of incidents like the Baltimore gas explosion include:
- Improper installation
- Excavation work
- Defective safety equipment
- Lapses in maintenance
- Failure to respond
- Failure to properly train
In some instances, a combination of these causes underlay a gas explosion. Sadly, in an disturbing number of cases, a utility company has advanced knowledge of a problem with a gas pipeline or associated delivery equipment and fails to take action to rectify the situation in a reasonable manner.
If you’ve been injured in a gas explosion, or if you’ve lost a loved on in an incident like the Baltimore blast, you must be proactive to protect your vital legal rights. A Doan Law Firm explosion accident lawyer stands ready to fight for you. Our explosion accident lawyer hotline is in operation around the clock, 365 days a year, at (800) 349-0000. A nationwide law firm, you can schedule an initial consultation and case evaluation at any one of our offices from coast to coast. In addition, we can arrange a virtual appointment with you online. There is no charge for an initial consultation.
The Doan Law Firm makes at attorney fee promise to you. We never charge an attorney fee unless we win for you.