BALTIMORE – A Baltimore gas and electrical contractor and a 73-year-old man, believed to be a homeowner, died in a house explosion in Harford County Sunday morning. A neighbor was also injured and 12 families in the community were left homeless.

Oliver Alkire of the Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office said the home is for sale and the homeowner, who uses a wheelchair, should meet with a real estate agent.

“He was home. From what I understand and the information we received, he was preparing to put his house up for sale today,” Alkire said. “He was actually preparing to meet with a realtor today and put it up for sale today.”

What caused the house explosion?

Emergency crews said a gas leak in the 2300 block of Arthurs Woods Drive in Bel Air South caused a house explosion shortly after 6:30 a.m.

Alkire said an electrical incident was reported near the house on Saturday evening and after an initial investigation, BGE decided to send a team to check on Sunday morning.

Before that crew arrived, a Harford County Public Services worker called 911 to report a gas leak. The worker left the building before BGE arrived, and the explosion occurred shortly thereafter.

One of BGE’s contractors, Jose Rodriguez-Alvarado, 35, was found dead in the home, while the homeowner, Ray Corkran Jr., 73, was later found in the rubble.

BGE confirmed that contractors were in the building at the time of the explosion.

“There were approximately 60 people on scene from the beginning of the incident,” said Jeffrey Sexton, spokesman for the Harford County Fire and Emergency Services Department.

The Maryland State Fire Marshal is leading a joint investigation with the Harford County Sheriff’s Office and the ATF to determine the cause of the explosion.

Harford County Emergency Services has set up a hotline for residents to report information about the explosion. They are urging anyone who smells gas or whose home has been damaged to contact them at 410-838-5800.

“I thought a bomb had exploded”

Neighbours were alerted on Sunday morning by a loud boom. The impact was felt for several blocks. Some thought it might have been an earthquake, others thought it might have been something else.

“No one knew what was going on. I thought a bomb had exploded,” said Kathy Genova, who lives near the site of the explosion.

Several nearby homeowners reported broken windows and debris falling from the sky.

“I woke up and the windows were all in place,” Genova said.

Neighbors were shocked when they learned that two people had died in the explosion.

“I came out of the house and everyone in my neighborhood was basically asking, ‘What just happened?'” said neighbor Katie Hershel.

“Windows out, sliding glass door frame all the way up, cupboards open, things off the walls,” said Genova.

“I looked and saw that it felt like lightning had struck my house. I looked for damage, but I couldn’t see anything,” Hershel added. “Just a lot of debris on our main street behind our house.”

Neighbors concerned about safety

Some neighbors attended a meeting of emergency responders on Sunday morning to ask if it was safe to return home.

“In case there was structural damage and foundation damage,” said neighbor Lisa Czawlytko. “We wanted to know whether we would need to evacuate or not.”

“The more you walk around, the more you see. I see cracks in my ceiling,” Genova said.

Debris from the explosion landed nearly half a mile away.

“The debris field is extensive,” said Bob Cassilly, Harford County Executive. “Large pieces of debris over a fairly large area, and the insulation is still falling down like snow.”

Cassilly said emergency responders from across the county are working around the clock to ensure everyone affected gets the help they need.

“Our structural engineers are looking at their homes to make sure no other homes have structural issues and that many windows are protected from the blast and debris,” Cassilly said.

Harbaugh expresses his condolences

John Harbaugh, head coach of the Baltimore Ravens, learned of the explosion and sent his condolences.

“We just want to say that our prayers and thoughts are with everyone involved in the Bel Air house explosion,” Harbaugh said. “We want to share that with all the families and friends who are in the process and all the first responders. We just encourage everyone to stay safe and do our best in those areas to ensure safety.”

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