An explosion at a historic Fort Worth hotel has left 21 people injured, with streets covered in debris
On Monday, a gas explosion at a historic downtown Fort Worth hotel resulted in at least 20 people getting injured, as reported by the fire department.
The first report came in at 3:32 p.m., followed by several calls describing a “type of explosion” at the Sandman Hotel located at 810 Houston St., as per information from the Fort Worth Fire Department.
“I initially thought it was thunder. I heard this loud noise, and when I looked out of my room, I realized it wasn’t thunder,” said Christa Daniels, an eyewitness to the explosion. “Then I saw people running, and after that, I witnessed debris flying all around the place.”
Twenty-one individuals sustained injuries following an explosion in Fort Worth, as reported by J. Pollozani from the Fort Worth Police Department on Monday night. One person is in critical condition, while four others are seriously injured. The remaining patients suffered minor injuries.
According to information from the Fort Worth Fire Department (FWFD), 19 individuals received on-site medical treatment, one person transported themselves to a hospital, and, at present, there are no reported fatalities. It is important to stay updated on official reports for any further developments related to the incident.
Following the explosion, a person named Daniels witnessed some individuals covered in blood, while others were crying intensely. The situation brought back memories of 9/11 and was frightening. Three employees from Musume, a restaurant in the hotel, were injured, but they are in stable condition and receiving treatment at the hospital.
Fortunately, Musume was closed when the explosion occurred, so there were no customers present. There was a smell of gas in the area after the blast, but it’s unclear if it played a role in the explosion. The Fort Worth Fire Department is still investigating the incident to determine the cause.
Daniels initially thought it was a bomb, and the strong smell of gas heightened the fear. Ongoing investigations will provide more information about the sequence of events and the reasons behind the explosion.
In case you can’t contact your family after the explosion, head to Sundance Square at 420 Main St., the designated family reunification area according to the Fort Worth Police. Additionally, Lot 15 in the Sundance Square parking lot is another spot to check.
During the explosion, the hotel was open with 26 occupied rooms. Though initially reported as missing, officials later located individuals identified by the hotel manager and found another person not previously known to be missing.
Efforts by the police and rescue teams included extracting several people stuck in the hotel basement, unable to exit on their own. Their ongoing work is focused on ensuring the safety and well-being of everyone affected by the incident.
After the explosion, a gas smell hung around downtown for several hours.
Atmos Energy, the gas company, quickly sent trained technicians to deal with the situation. They confirmed that the gas is now only in the affected area. Atmos Energy continues to assist the Fort Worth Fire and Police Departments in their investigation into the incident.
The Fort Worth Fire Department (FWFD) has announced they will continue searching throughout the night to ensure no one is trapped. They, along with other agencies, will remain on the scene overnight. Importantly, there are no safety concerns for the public in the downtown area related to the explosion.
The investigation into the incident is still ongoing.