Residents Report Smelling Gas Before Devastating Apartment Complex Explosion

Over a dozen people were injured, and many were displaced after a Maryland apartment complex exploded on Thursday.

The devastating explosion occurred at the Friendly Garden Apartments around 10:30 a.m. Video shows the moment when the boom occurred, sparking a massive fire and causing part of the four-story building to collapse. Over 100 firefighters responded to the scene to battle the intense fire and rescue trapped residents.

Ten people were rushed to the hospital for their injuries. Five of them were reportedly in serious condition. Several residents remain unaccounted for as rescuers work through scorched rubble. Crews knocked down the remaining walls of the collapsed building just before 6 p.m. Officials confirmed that the walls were unsafe, making it challenging for rescuers to continue searching for tenants. The explosion displaced nearly 100 people, including 35 in the impacted building. Nearby buildings were deemed unsafe and evacuated. The Red Cross and county agencies are assisting families with shelter following the blast.

Thursday afternoon, rescue dogs were brought in, which alerted to at least one dead body in the rubble, though it is unclear if it could be retrieved.

Some residents reported smelling gas moments before the explosion took place. However, Montgomery County Fire Chief Scott Goldstein said it was too early to determine the cause.