1 Dies and at Least 6 Are Injured in Baltimore Gas Explosion
Workers for the utility company, Baltimore Gas and Electric, shut off gas to the entire block, a spokesman said.
Officials were trying to determine exactly how the explosion was touched off. The investigation will include inspection of gas mains and service piping leading to properties and gas meters, as well as nearby appliances, the gas company said in a statement.
Baltimore Gas and Electric — the country’s oldest gas company — has been working to replace thousands of miles of aging gas pipes. The effort to replace the pipes, some from the 1950s and 1960s, will take at least two decades, The Baltimore Sun reported in September.
The number of leaks increased by 75 percent from 2009 to 2016, the Sun reported.
Baltimore Gas and Electric did not immediately respond to questions on Monday about the aging infrastructure.
Rescue crews were struggling against hot and humid weather. The Maryland Transit Administration sent three buses to the site of the explosion for displaced residents and rescue crews to sit in air-conditioning.
Paul Carden, a representative for the Red Cross, said the organization has provided food, water and counselors for residents impacted by the blast. It will also provide lodging for residents who are unable to stay in their homes Monday night.
