Gas worker saves family as explosion rips through a Columbia street destroying 6 homes

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The Baltimore gas and electric worker was one of those hurt on Wednesday night
He had been called to fix a gas leak in the Clary Forest neighborhood
Two minutes after arriving, he ordered everyone out of a nearby house
A few minutes later there was an explosion 'like a bomb'
The gas worker was taken to specialist burns hospital, while a local resident was treated for respiratory problems

Published: 03:07 EST, 24 September 2015 | Updated: 07:33 EST, 24 September 2015

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A heroic gas worker ordered a family out of a house minutes before an explosion ripped through a neighboring property in Columbia.

Two people were hurt and up to six homes destroyed in the suspected gas blast in Howard County, Maryland, on Wednesday night.

Local fire chiefs said a resident and a Baltimore Gas and Electric worker - who had been called to fix the leak in the Clary Forest neighborhood - were injured.

The empty plot is where a house was blown away from its foundation in the explosion in Columbia, Maryland

A neighborhood resident was taken to hospital with respiratory injuries while the gas worker went to Johns Hopkins Bayview burn center.

The suspected gas leak was reported by Ira Gershman's family. They called a BGE employee, who came to investigate the leak, the Baltimore Sun reports.

Gershman said he was preparing to break fast for Yom Kippur with family at his cousin's residence in Clary's Forest when a relative smelled gas.

'After two minutes, [the gas worker] said to us, "Get everybody out of that house,"' said Mr Gershman

A neighboring house exploded minutes later. It was unoccupied at the time, according to Gershman.

'I've never seen anything like it,' he said. 'It was like a bomb.'

A firefighter works to extinguish hotspots after the suspected gas explosion on Wednesday night

Tjhe explosion and fire burnt out the interiors of at least five homes, while a sixth was completely destroyed

Two people were injured in the blast, which happened in an unoccupied house

A gap between the houses where it once stood was clearly visible, while several other houses were badly damaged by the blast.

Another neighbor said she thought it was an earthquake until she looked outside and saw the house on fire.

Fire Chief John Butler said at a news conference: 'At this time, we believe everyone is accounted for.

'The magnitude of the explosion helped the community get out. It was pretty audible.'

Howard County Executive Allan Kittleman said: 'It's one of the most traumatic things I've ever seen in my life. I've lived my whole life here in Howard County. You're very fortunate that nobody was home in the house that the leak was there.'

Authorities say they are working to determine the exact cause of the explosion.

About 100 fire, emergency and BGE personnel responded to the scene, with fire-fighters working to get the blaze was under control. Teams will now work to assess the structural integrity of homes around the explosion site.

About 100 fire, emergency and BGE personnel responded to the scene on Wednesday night

Howard County Fire Chief John S. Butler (left) briefing the media after the explosion

Debris from the explosion and fire lies scattered on the road as fire and rescue officials investigate

The fire burned multiple townhouses, sending flames and smoke soaring above the three-story homes

The blaze was brought under control by 10.30pm with officials saying the sound of the explosion made residents leave their homes before the fire took hold