More than a dozen hurt in explosion at Texas hotel

The incident at the historic Sandman Signature Hotel in downtown Fort Worth on Monday afternoon injured at least 20 people, according to representatives of a local EMS service. Of that number, authorities said one person was in critical condition, two were in serious condition, and the rest had minor injuries. Images taken on the scene appeared to show a large amount of debris in front of the hotel, as well as some residual smoke. According to its website, the Sandman Signature Fort Worth Downtown Hotel was built in 1920 and boasts 245 rooms. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and was originally known as “The Waggoner Building.” It was first built for William Thomas Waggoner, a local ranch owner.

What caused the explosion? The incident is still being investigated, but a spokeswoman for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said natural gas may have played a role. A spokesman for the Fort Worth Fire Department noted that downtown Fort Worth smelled of gas, but he could not definitively link the odor to the cause of the explosion.