Explosion at Sandman Signature Fort Worth Downtown Hotel leaves 21 injured

FORT WORTH, TX — Authorities are investigating an explosion that injured nearly two dozen people at a downtown Forth Worth hotel Monday afternoon, reports NBC News.

Firefighters received reports of a structure fire at the Sandman Signature Fort Worth Downtown Hotel shortly after 3:30 p.m. Craig Trojacek, a Fort Worth Fire Department spokesperson, said the initial reports gave way to alerts about an apparent explosion in the area.

While investigations remain ongoing, preliminary details point to a potential gas leak. Trojacek said there was a smell of gas in the air, but it’s unclear whether the smell was an effect of the blast, or if it was a factor in the incident.

Eleven people were initially reported injured, but by Monday evening, that number had increased to 21, of whom one was listed in critical condition. Four others suffered injuries considered serious, while the remaining victims are believed to have suffered relatively minor injuries.

As of Tuesday morning, no additional injuries have been reported.

The force of the explosion left the sidewalk and roadway covered in debris, building insulation, wall sections, and window frame parts, which appeared to have come from the first two floors of the structure.

Authorities learned that 26 rooms at the hotel were occupied at the time of the explosion and checked each to ensure that every person was accounted for.

FWPD officials closed the two-block radius around the hotel to aid in their rescue and investigation efforts. NBC News noted that all Tarrant County offices in the downtown area were closed following the event.

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