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A house in Maryland was leveled in a large explosion on Sunday morning, killing at least one person and damaging surrounding homes in its blast radius, according to authorities.
The blast occurred in Bel Air, a town in Harford County, after a gas leak was reported, Harford County fire officials told reporters during a press conference.
The fire department initially responded to a reported gas leak, but while still on their way to the home, the home exploded, said Master Deputy of the Maryland State Fire Marshal Oliver Alkire.
“I’ve been on the job for nearly 18 years,” Alkire told reporters. “This is one of the largest explosions I’ve seen, especially in Harford County.”
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Firefighters found one victim dead at the scene. The victim’s identity was not immediately available as authorities notified next-of-kin.
About 60 emergency personnel responded to the scene to dig through the piles of debris to locate any other potential victims.
Alkire said two Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE) workers had been called to investigate an electrical issue and were at the scene when the explosion occurred. It was unclear whether the deceased victim was a BGE worker.
Alkire added that a woman who lived in a neighboring house that was badly damaged was treated at the scene for minor injuries.
The home that exploded was listed for sale, according to Alkire, but it was unknown whether anyone was still inside when the blast occurred.
Alkire confirmed that an odor of gas was present in the area before the explosion. He told reporters that it was unclear whether the explosion was intentional.
“We have to treat every scene like a crime scene because right now, we just don’t know,” Alkire said.
The cause of the blast remained under investigation.
Officials asked the public to stay away from the scene and refrain from flying personal drones overhead as investigators worked in the area.
Residents who live within the blast radius were asked to report any structure damage to authorities.
