Gas explosion caught on camera
Updated on 08 May 2009
Six people, five of them fire fighters, have been seriously injured after a gas explosion next to a pregnancy clinic in a Maryland shopping precinct.
Fire crews were about to break into an empty store in the American state when it exploded.
A fire department spokesman said crews were called to the shopping centre after a report of a natural gas leak.
Shortly after the shops were evacuated, the explosion occurred, causing significant damage to the mall.
Prince George's county acting Fire Chief Eugene A Jones said:
"As a department we are thankful that the injuries our crews suffered are recoverable. As a community, we are fortunate that 45 lives were saved by fire fighters doing their jobs.
"Overall, in consideration of the devastating destruction we are extremely fortunate that this was not a disaster."
An investigation into the cause of the leak is underway.
