An explosion Monday evening caused by natural gas at the Sandman Signature Fort Worth Downtown Hotel in Texas has injured multiple people and caused extensive damage to the surrounding area.
The blast scattered debris throughout the city, causing emergency services to respond quickly.
According to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, investigators believe that the explosion was caused by natural gas.
At least 20 people were reported injured as of Monday night.
Aerial footage showed that large sections of the building, which was built in 1920, were severely damaged, littering downtown streets.
The hotel is located in a busy area of the downtown, one block from the Fort Worth Convention Center, and has 245 rooms.
It was originally known as the “Waggoner Building” and was named after cattle rancher and oilman William Thomas Waggoner.
City authorities have urged people to avoid the area while investigations are ongoing. The cause of the gas leak is currently unknown and will be the subject of investigation over the coming days.
