BEL AIR, MD (AP) – A house explosion in Bel Air, Maryland Sunday claimed two lives. Neighbors described feeling and hearing the early morning blast in the 2300 block of Arthur Woods Drive that damaged a number of surrounding houses. Firefighters were called around 6:40 a.m. for a report of a gas leak and an outdoor odor of gas, according to a State Fire Marshal’s Office spokesman. As firefighters were approaching, they began receiving calls that the house had exploded. First responders pronounced one person dead at the scene, and a second body was later found in the rubble. A home next door to the explosion was heavily damaged, and a woman in that house was treated for injuries on the scene. Two utility workers were in the area to work on a reported electrical issue, but authorities didn’t immediately say if that was related to the explosion. The first victim found was later identified as a contractor for the utility BGE. The State Fire Marshal’s Office said the second body is believed to be the home’s 73-year-old owner, but positive identification was pending. Investigators were also working to establish how many houses were damaged and how far the blast radius was.
