Texas explosion likely caused by gas leak injures 21

[January 09, 2024]   By Kanishka Singh
 
(Reuters) -At least 21 people were injured Monday in an apparent gas leak explosion at the Sandman Hotel in downtown Fort Worth, Texas, the city's fire department said.

A view of damage and debris as first responders react to an explosion at the Sandman Hotel in downtown Fort Worth, Texas, U.S. January 8, 2024 in this screen grab obtained from social media video. Jordan Bass/via REUTERS

Nobody was killed in the explosion and authorities were investigating the cause.

Video images from the scene showed rubble in the street between two buildings with first responders on the scene.

Craig Trojacek, a spokesman for the Fort Worth Fire Department, said first responders rescued several people trapped in the basement of the hotel.

Of the 21 people injured, one person was in critical condition, while four others had serious but not life threatening injuries, Trojacek said. The others sustained minor injuries.

Trojacek said that 26 hotel rooms were occupied by guests. He added that construction was going on in the building at the time, but it was not yet clear if that played any role in the explosion.

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh, Dan Whitcomb and Brad Brooks; editing by Jonathan Oatis, Chris Reese and Sandra Maler)

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