1 dead, at least 4 rushed to hospital after ‘major’ explosion in Baltimore

One person is dead, and at least four people were rushed to the hospital after what fire union officials described as a “major explosion” in Baltimore on Monday.

Fire officials say a woman was killed in the explosion. The four people who were transported are in “serious” condition.

While the cause wasn’t immediately clear, The Baltimore Sun reported last year that dangerous gas leaks have become much more frequent, with nearly two dozen discovered each day on average, according to the utility’s reports to federal authorities. The Baltimore Gas and Electric Co. have thousands of miles of old pipes that need to be replaced, an effort that would cost nearly $1 billion and take two decades, the newspaper said.

BGE turned off the gas in the immediate area after receiving an “initial call” from the fire department at 9:54 a.m. on Monday, utility spokeswoman Linda Foy said.

“We are on the scene and working closely with the fire department to make the situation safe,” she said, without answering any questions from reporters. “Once the gas is off, we can begin to safely assess the situation, including inspections of BGE equipment.”

Glover, 56, and her 77-year-old father, Moses Glover, were at home when the massive explosion shook their house, knocking over a fan and some of her DVDs.

“I jumped up to see what was going on. I looked out the bathroom window and there was a house on the ground,” she said. “It sounded like a bomb went off.”

Neighbors scrambled toward the rubble, calling out for survivors. Kevin Matthews, who lives on the block, told The Sun that he could hear trapped children shouting: “Come get us! We’re stuck!” Firefighters and police officers then showed up and took over.

BGE asked the Maryland Public Service Commission to approve a new gas system infrastructure and a cost recovery mechanism in late 2017 to pay for upgrades.

“Founded in 1816, BGE is the oldest gas distribution company in the nation. Like many older gas systems, a larger portion of its gas main and services infrastructure consists of cast iron and bare steel – materials that are obsolete and susceptible to failure with age,” the PSC wrote in a 2018 order approving a modernization plan.

When aging pipes fail, they tend to make headlines. Last year, a gas explosion ripped the façade off a Maryland office complex in Columbia, affecting more than 20 businesses. No one was injured in the explosion, which happened early on a Sunday morning. In 2016, the main gas break forced the evacuation of the Baltimore County Circuit Courthouse. Under Armour, Inc. had to evacuate its Baltimore office after the main gas break in 2012.

Maryland Governor Larry Hogan addressed the incident via Twitter Monday afternoon.

First responders are still performing rescue operations, and several victims have been transported to area hospitals. So far, we know that the explosion has taken one life. Our prayers are with the victims and all those affected by this tragedy. https://t.co/JDObKp4cAf

— Governor Larry Hogan (@GovLarryHogan) August 10, 2020

This is the back side of the row of homes destroyed by the explosion in #Baltimore today. One woman killed. Others trapped and rescued. Updates all day ⁦@fox5dc⁩ (photo by Joe Wagener) pic.twitter.com/pyMn46TTJb

— Bob Barnard (@barnardfox5dc) August 10, 2020