CNN
 — 

A apartment explosion in Montgomery County, Maryland, left a dozen individuals injured, two of them critically, kicking off an enormous search-and-rescue operation Wednesday, the county fireplace chief mentioned.

The “important” blast resulted in a structural collapse, Goldstein mentioned.

Authorities are “nonetheless engaged on the premise that there are unaccounted for personnel,” Montgomery County Fireplace Chief Scott Goldstein mentioned. “We’re diligently working to determine all of the occupants.”

There was a “gas-fed fireplace” within the constructing’s basement that fireside crews are dealing with, and utility staff try to show off pure fuel to the constructing, he mentioned.

Ten individuals have been taken to hospitals, together with two adults in important situation. 4 adults and 4 kids have been transferred with delicate to reasonable accidents. Two people have been handled on scene and declined to go to the hospital, Goldstein mentioned.

The hearth impacted two apartment buildings with six items. Two different buildings have been evacuated. Authorities are homing in on 9 flats, attempting to account for every unit’s residents, Goldstein mentioned.

Residents instructed authorities they smelled fuel Wednesday morning. Upkeep workers on web site used a ladder to rescue a resident from a rear balcony and assisted a resident behind the constructing, the fireplace chief says.

“Our 911 heart has checked, and this morning there (have been) no calls previous to the explosion for a fuel leak or a fuel odor,” Goldstein mentioned, including authorities have been wanting into whether or not there have been stories of a fuel odor final week.

The hearth remained lively late Wednesday morning, Goldstein mentioned, calling it a multi-day occasion. Extra info is anticipated at a Wednesday afternoon briefing.