At least 11 people were injured Monday following a possible gas explosion at a downtown Fort Worth hotel, according to the fire department. The first call came in at 3:32 p.m., followed by multiple calls reporting a “type of explosion” at the Sandman Hotel, located at 810 Houston St., according to the Fort Worth Fire Department.
There are as many as 11 injured; 1 person is said to be in critical condition, 2 in serious condition and the rest suffered minor injuries. 1 person is still missing. Although the area smelled like gas following the explosion, the initial cause is still under investigation, said Craig Trojacek, the public information officer for the FWFD: “There is a smell of gas here in downtown. We’re not sure if the smell of gas was caused from the explosion or the fire itself, or if that’s what caused the explosion.”
Fire crews said that they are investigating to see if the incident began in the Asian restaurant Musume inside of the hotel. A statement from the restaurant’s founder, Josh Babb, says that the Musume was closed during the time of the explosion and that no customers were inside dining at the time of the explosion; however, three Musume employees were among the injured.
Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker posted a statement saying that every Fort Worth emergency response is on hand to respond, with police asking people in the area to avoid the downtown area.
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