Four people were injured and at least two people went missing following a “massive” explosion in a luxury apartment complex in an Atlanta suburb Sunday afternoon, authorities said.
According to local media reports, the Dunwoody Georgia Police Department received reports of an explosion at the Arrive Apartments, roughly 15 miles north of downtown Atlanta, at around 1.30 in the afternoon.
In a joint conference on Sunday, Dunwoody Deputy Fire Chief Melvin Carter said that the blast damaged 15 to 20 units across three floors of the building. He revealed that the first responders are already using thermal imaging from drones to search the collapsed building, NBC News reported.
“Right now we’re still searching a building, we had a lot of structural damage and structural instability to the building,” said Carter.
Meanwhile, Jaeson Daniels with DeKalb County Fire Rescue also said that they have already sent four people with minor injuries to the hospital, but two people remain unaccounted for. Some people who also suffered from burns were not taken to the hospital.
The authorities refused to reveal the cause of the explosion, saying that they would continue with the investigation. However, Carter had shared that the leasing agent had reportedly called Atlanta Gas about a reported gas order prior to the blast. The police also reported a “strong smell of gas” in the area even though the spokesperson said that gas has been shut off in the impacted buildings.
As police continue with the rescue operation, Atlanta Gas Light crews were at the site to assist the emergency responders with the investigation.
The Sandy Springs Fire Department said in a Facebook post: “Sandy Springs Fire units are currently assisting Dekalb Fire and Dunwoody Police in the area of Asbury Sq on an explosion with multiple patients.”
