BEL AIR, MD – An apparent house explosion in Harford County, Maryland, caused the deaths of two individuals on Sunday. The blast, which occurred northeast of Baltimore, claimed the lives of a Baltimore Gas and Electric Company contractor and a 73-year-old homeowner, officials have confirmed.
Emergency services were originally called to the homeowner’s residence on Arthurs Woods Drive in Bel Air to respond to a reported gas leak at around 6:42 a.m. ET. However, while en route, responders received multiple calls indicating that the situation had escalated into a house explosion. Upon arrival, they found one victim dead.
According to Oliver Alkire of the Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office, there was a noticeable odor of gas in the vicinity, and the Baltimore Gas and Electric Company had already been made aware of the situation. Additionally, gas and electric company contract workers were onsite upon the explosion as they were addressing separate electrical problems nearby.
The explosion’s cause remains unclear, with officials uncertain as to whether the incident was intentional or accidental. Extensive investigations are still ongoing at the scene.
Officials confirmed the death of a second individual after they discovered a body amid the rubble. They believe it to be the 73-year-old homeowner, pending positive identification from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
The blast also left a female neighbor injured. She had been inside her home during the explosion but received treatment for her injuries. A worker from the Baltimore Gas and Electric Company was also injured in the incident, although the severity of their injuries is yet to be ascertained.
The explosion displaced at least 12 families, and investigators are working to determine the exact extent of the blast radius.