An explosion in a high-rise building in Baltimore, the capital of Maryland, injured 21 people Wednesday morning (Dec. 23); firefighters also rescued two window washers from a suspended scaffold.
An explosion in a high-rise building in Baltimore, the capital of Maryland, injured 21 people Wednesday morning (Dec. 23); firefighters also rescued two window washers from a suspended scaffold.
The explosion caused the roof of the building to partially collapse, the Baltimore Fire Department said in a message sent via Twitter. As of 11:45 a.m., 21 injured people had been taken to local hospitals, and two others refused to be taken to the hospital. At least nine people are currently in critical condition, and one injured person is in quite serious condition.
The explosion is said to have occurred on the 16th floor, which houses the offices of the Baltimore Gas and Electric Company. The fire department said the cause of the explosion is still under investigation.
The worker trapped on the window-washing scaffolding was rescued by firefighters through a window. Firefighters continued their search of the building Wednesday afternoon.
Photos from the scene sent out by the fire department’s official Twitter feed (click this) show the window washing scaffolding hanging diagonally from the 10th to 11th floors. Firefighters first pulled a window washer into the building through the 10th floor; then, firefighters climbed onto the scaffolding outside the building to rescue a second window washer trapped on it, accessing him into the building from the 11th floor.
Fire Chief Niles Ford said the two rescued workers were in good condition.
“The building was impacted from the 10th floor to the roof, and there were several contractors working in the building.” Ford said.
Witnesses on the ground told local television stations that the explosion was so loud that neighboring buildings were shaken.
Gas and Electric spokeswoman Stephanie Anne Weaver said the accident may have been caused by the building’s “air handling and boiler system” and had nothing to do with natural gas.
“The scaffolding where the windows were washed was affected by the accident and a window washer was pulled to safety by the fire department. Crews from the fire department, gas and electric companies are on the scene.” Weaver said in a statement. The building was largely empty due to the holidays and the communist virus pandemic.
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