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(UPI) — At least one person was killed and multiple others were injured in Baltimore Monday by a natural gas explosion that destroyed three homes, authorities said.
The explosion occurred in the northwestern part of the city shortly before 10 a.m., officials said. A cause is not yet known.
WBAL-TV reported that a woman died in the blast, one person is trapped and four were critically hurt. The Baltimore Sun reported six were critically injured.
The explosion occurred behind the Reisterstown Plaza shopping center on the Baltimore City-County line.
Baltimore Gas and Electric Co. said in a statement that it’s working with the fire department to “make the situation safe” and switch off gas to buildings in the area.
“We are closely monitoring the situation in northwest Baltimore following this morning’s horrific explosion,” Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan tweeted. “We have reached out to offer our full support to the ongoing response and recovery efforts, and are deeply grateful to the first responders on the scene.”
Residents reported feeling the force of the explosion several miles away.
