Three workers hospitalized from steam pipe explosion in downtown Baltimore, officials say
By JESSICA ALBERT
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BALTIMORE (WJZ) — Crews were working to install a gas line when a water main was struck and broke, leading to a steam pipe explosion Sunday evening in downtown Baltimore.
Baltimore Fire Department said four workers were treated for injuries and three of them were taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Officials said the steam line explosion happened around 6:30 p.m. at the intersection of W. Pratt Street and S. Eutaw Street, and caused major traffic delays and detours.
It happened about a block from Oriole Park at Camden Yards, about two hours after Sunday’s home game ended.
“This is not what I expected coming to Baltimore,” said Peter Ingraham, who was visiting from California.
BGE said one of its crews struck an unmarked pipe, causing a water leak. That leak caused the steam line to rupture north of the struck water main on Eutaw Street.
WJZ crews were at the scene where the area was bounded by caution tape.
The steam explosion caused pieces of gravel and roadway to explode, which injured four workers.
“We never want to be in a situation like this,” Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott said. “We are grateful that we didn’t have serious injuries, no one was really, really hurt badly in this incident.”
BGE said the steam system in the area has been turned off, and electricity and gas in the area remain unaffected.
However, water service interruptions were reported at Marriott Inner Harbor, Hilton Baltimore hotels and surrounding businesses.
“Chaos. My Uber driver couldn’t get me here so I had to walk a couple blocks to get to the hotel and find out that the hotel doesn’t have water,” Ingraham said.
The following roads are closed until further notice:
Pratt Street between Green and Howard streets. Eutaw Street between Pratt and Lombard streets. Detours
Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard Paca Street (Northbound traffic only)
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