Fort Worth Hotel Explosion Video: Cause of Blast Is Gas Leak
Fort Worth hotel explosion videos capture the aftermath of an incident on January 8 that resulted in injuries to at least 11 individuals, with debris scattered onto the Texas sidewalk.
The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives attributes the explosion to a “natural gas leak,” as reported by NBC Dallas-Fort Worth. The Fire Department acknowledged the presence of a gas leak at the hotel but initially refrained from confirming it as the cause.
The Fort Worth Fire Department released a statement stating that the explosion occurred at 3:30 p.m. at the Sandman Hotel, 810 Houston St. The department mentioned that one person is in critical condition, two are in serious condition, and one person is still missing, according to their initial statement.
In a subsequent news conference, fire officials mentioned that one person may still be “unaccounted for,” with nine victims transported to the hospital, mostly with minor injuries.
Videos of the incident can be viewed throughout this article.
Witnesses in one video describe the force of the explosion, mentioning debris blown out of the front door and scattered across the parking lot. Another video shows debris spilling out, with a man observing part of the building blown out and someone sitting near a streetlight.
The Sandman Signature Fort Worth Downtown Hotel, housed in a 1920s building known as ‘The Waggoner Building,’ suffered damage. The building, originally constructed for William Thomas Waggoner, owner of the Waggoner Ranch, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
During a news conference, police announced a two-block radius closure for safety, emphasizing the ongoing efforts to maintain a secure area.
The explosion reportedly affected at least two floors of the historic hotel, causing the Fire Department to mention a gas leak’s association with the incident, although they couldn’t initially confirm it as the cause. Subsequently, the ATF confirmed the gas leak as the cause, despite initial uncertainties.
Authorities are investigating the smell of gas in downtown Fort Worth, examining whether it was a result of the explosion and fire or if it preceded the incident, as explained by Craig Trojacek of the Fort Worth Fire Department to NBC Dallas-Fort Worth.