Fort Worth – At least 11 people were injured Monday following a gas explosion at a downtown Fort Worth hotel, according to the fire department.
According to the Fort Worth Fire Department, the first call came in at 3:32 p.m., followed by several calls about an “explosive type” at the Sandman Hotel, located at 810 Houston St.
According to MedStar, there are 11 patients. One patient is reported to be critically injured and two are critically injured. All patients have minor injuries. Nine patients were transported to local hospitals.
Although the area smelled like gas following the explosion, the initial cause is still under investigation, said Craig Trojacek, public information officer for the FFWD.
“There's a gas smell here downtown. We don't know if the gas smell was caused by the explosion or the fire or that's what caused the explosion,” Trojacek said.
Fort Worth Police said there was a family gathering area at Sundance Square, located at 420 Main St.
All Tarrant County offices downtown are now closed.
Jason Allen spoke to someone who was in the hotel at the time of the explosion. He didn't want to go on camera, but said he smelled natural gas before the explosion, and he said to one of his crew, “Do you smell natural gas?” I remembered hearing that.
He said the smell was not strong, but they could smell it. He said the smell came from underneath them.
By then, the entire second floor was filled with dust and smoke. They could see the red exit sign and saw the stairs. He told CBS News Texas that when he and his companions got to the stairwell, most of it was missing, so they were able to jump five or six feet down and get out of the building.
Jason Allen said natural gas still smells in the area. Trojacek said crews will continue to search the building to make sure everyone is evacuated.
Governor Greg Abbott issued the following statement:
“The State of Texas is in close contact with Mayor Parker, Sheriff Wayborn and other local partners and first responders in Fort Worth. We continue to monitor the situation and stand ready to assist emergency response efforts following the tragic explosion at the Sandman Hotel. Additional personnel are needed to keep Texans in the area safe and out of harm's way. and resources must be dispatched immediately. Cecilia and I ask all Texans to pray for those injured in the explosion and for those bravely responding to keep others safe.”
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