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Baltimore gas explosion kills woman, two critical and many trapped under rubble after blast destroys three houses

Police scanners stated it was 'mass casualty' that had impacted a three-block radius and completely destroyed three homes

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND: One woman was killed and two other persons were reported to be in a critical condition after a gas explosion destroyed three homes in Baltimore. Reports state that the rubble also trapped multiple victims, including children.

The explosion was confirmed by the Baltimore Fire Department, which stated that an adult female was pronounced dead at the scene while two other victims who have been pulled out from the rubble remain in a critical condition. The "major explosion" reportedly occurred at Labyrinth and Reisterstown Road just before 10 am on Monday morning, August 10. Reports state that possible victims are still trapped under the debris and emergency responders are currently working in an effort to locate and rescue survivors, the Daily Mail reported. It is not yet clear how many people are unaccounted for in the incident. 

Images of the scene showed homes reduced to rubble and windows in nearby properties blown out in the blast. Initial reports stated that at least five people, including children, were trapped under the rubble and that a second alarm and a collapse response team had been called. Meanwhile, Baltimore police scanners stated that they were responding to a "mass casualty" that had impacted a three-block radius and "completely destroyed" three homes.

A police scanner said: "We are borderline mass casualty at this point. This explosion has affected at least a three-block radius up here. Three dwellings completely destroyed." Shortly after the emergency team responded, three victims were pulled from the rubble by firefighters. A woman among them was pronounced dead at the scene, reports state. 

An Occupational Safety and Health Administration building inspector, Kevin Matthews, who lives in the block, said that he saw one person buried from the neck down and another was sheltering in a closet when he arrived at the scene at 10 am, according to Baltimore Sun. Matthews, who has lived on Labyrinth Road for 28 years, told the outlet that he could hear shouting from children trapped under the rubble, saying: “Come get us! We’re stuck!”

“I could see the back alley from the front stoop,” Matthews said. “We moved out of the way and let the firemen handle it.”

Firefighters are attempting to rescue expected survivors in the explosion as they are still combing through the rubble. Baltimore Firefighters IAFF Local 734 tweeted that off-duty special rescue operations personally have also been called to support the firefighters "due to the complexity and size of this incident."

According to Baltimore Fire, the tragedy occurred due to a gas explosion. No more details of the incident have yet been provided. Aerial images of the explosion showed that apart from the three homes being completely destroyed down to bricks, at least four homes had their windows blown out too. Eyewitnesses of the incident said that they heard a large boom and felt the ground shake even though they were several blocks away, according to reports. 

Baltimore police has warned people to avoid the affected area citing the gas leak is still active in the region.