A massive explosion at a hotel in Texas left at least 21 people injured while others were trapped in the basement and needed to be rescued on Monday, officials said, Report informs via The New York Post.
The blast took place at the Sandman Signature Hotel at historic 20-story building in downtown Fort Worth after an apparent gas explosion, according to fire officials.
Rescue teams were desperately searching the remainder of the building for potential victims on Monday evening.
“We had reports of people trapped down in the basement, and because of the explosion that took place, some of those access areas were either covered up or it didn’t feel safe at that point to get people down into,” said Craig Trojacek, a spokesperson for the Fort Worth Fire Department.
At least 21 people were being treated for injuries in what fire officials called a “major incident.”
One person was listed in critical condition and two others were serious. The rest had minor injuries, authorities said at a news conference.
The 245-room Sandman Signature Fort Worth Downtown Hotel dates to 1920, according to the hotel’s website. The building, known as “The Waggoner Building,” has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1979.
