Maryland House Explosion: 1 Dead, 1 Injured, Authorities Report

In a tragic incident, at least one person has died, and another has sustained injuries following a powerful explosion that destroyed a home in a suburban Baltimore neighborhood on Sunday morning. The explosion caused significant damage to several nearby residences in Bel Air, Harford County, located approximately 32 miles north of Baltimore.

The blast occurred at around 6:42 a.m. on Arthur Woods Drive, according to local authorities. A 35-year-old contractor for Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE) was confirmed to have died in the explosion, as reported by Master Deputy Fire Marshal Oliver Alkire. The name of the deceased contractor has not been released. Additionally, a female neighbor living close to the exploded home suffered cuts and bruises and was treated at the scene.

Images shared by Harford County Fire and Emergency Medical Services show firefighters working to control a small fire and searching through the debris of the home, which was turned into splintered wood, insulation, and other remnants.

Master Deputy Fire Marshal Alkire described the explosion as one of the most significant he has witnessed in his 18-year career, stating the total destruction of the house was quite astonishing.

The Harford County Fire Department was responding to a report of a gas leak in the area when the explosion occurred. Jeffrey Sexton, a spokesperson for the Harford County Fire and EMS Association, confirmed that the body of the BGE worker was discovered amid the extensive debris field created by the blast.

Search-and-rescue teams continued to comb through the rubble on Sunday afternoon, working meticulously piece by piece due to the widespread destruction, which spread across multiple blocks. Deputy Fire Marshal Alkire noted that at least two BGE contract workers had already arrived at the site to address an electrical issue prior to the explosion. These workers were aware of gas odor reports in the vicinity when the incident took place.

Numerous homes sustained damage as a result of the explosion, and a damage assessment was underway. Fortunately, no evacuations have been necessary thus far. Alkire confirmed that the house that exploded was for sale, but it remains unclear whether anyone was inside at the time of the blast. Authorities classified the home as a total loss.

The cause of the explosion is currently under investigation by the Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office, the Harford County Sheriff’s Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Residents in the neighborhood reported hearing a loud explosion accompanied by tremors that shook their houses. Jefferey Beyers, a resident nearby, described how he and his wife were roused from their sleep by a “deafening explosion” that felt akin to an earthquake. He recounted seeing windows in his own house blown out from their frames.

Beyers emphasized the need to thoroughly examine the incident, stating, “I think it’s important to get to the bottom of it, like understand what happened so that this kind of thing doesn’t happen again.”

Another neighbor, Marshall Garrett, rushed to the scene even before the fire engines arrived. He described the aftermath as “complete devastation,” likening it to a scene from a movie. “At first, we saw just the rubble. And then we started to see the flames streak out, and the smoke goes in the air,” Garrett recalled.

The incident underscores the critical importance of investigating such occurrences to prevent future tragedies. The community remains on alert as details continue to emerge.