HALLANDALE BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - An explosion at a gas station that injured a construction worker prompted a swift response by rescue crews.
Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue arrived at the gas station located on the corner of Hallandale Beach Boulevard and Federal Highway, around 12:30 p.m., Tuesday.
According to fire rescue, construction workers were trying to access an underground fuel tank and cut the concrete above it to get to it, which caused vapors in the tank to ignite.
Video shows a plume of smoke and concrete going up into the sky. A man near the explosion flew up in the sky while another worker ran for cover.
One of the workers, who appeared to be in his 30s, was caught in the explosion and was severely burned. Rescue crews found him lying near a machine that was on fire unconscious. He was transported to Aventura Medical Center with second and third-degree burns to about half his body.
The fire, officials said, was extinguished within 10 minutes.
Linda Paisley, who works three blocks away, said she heard the explosion.
“I heard, down the street, like a boom,” she said. “That’s pretty scary.”
Paisley’s coworker came to work talking about the commotion.
“There’s debris everywhere, the cops are coming, fire department, something’s on fire, blah, blah blah, I said ‘Wow, I hope nobody got hurt,'” she said.
Others in the area were shocked to hear the news.
“I hope he gets better,” said Melanie Rudenko, who walks by the area frequently with her friend, Nicole. “It’s pretty scary.”
“Yeah, it’s scary how like, there could’ve been a lot of people,” said Nicole Cabecas.
Due to the explosion, there was a crater that was about 50 feet in diameter.
The gas station was closed for an excavation project and no other injuries were reported.
Traffic on the southbound lanes of Hallandale Beach Boulevard and South Federal Highway were been closed as officials worked to clear the area, but have since been reopened.
The Florida State Fire Marshal’s office will conduct an investigation to determine the exact cause of the explosion and the fire. As of Wednesday morning, the condition of the injured construction worker remains unknown.
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