Atmos Energy says they've found no indication that its system was involved in an explosion at a downtown Fort Worth hotel on Monday that injured 21 people.
On Monday afternoon, an explosion blew out the first two floors of the W.T. Waggoner Building at the corner of Houston and 8th streets in downtown Fort Worth. The explosion caused significant damage to the building and sent the two floors crashing down into the sub-basement.
At least 21 people were treated for injuries after the blast, including one person who remains in critical condition and is being treated for burns at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas. There were no fatalities.
In a statement Friday, Atmos said they have completed their safety checks and an investigation into the blast at the nearly 104-year-old 20-story tower and found no fault with their equipment.
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The Fort Worth Fire Department said in a statement Friday afternoon that the National Transportation Safety Board was present throughout the incident to oversee the Atmos testing and did not raise objection to the statements from Atmos.
"At this time, the Fort Worth Fire Department can confidently say that it appears that the events from Jan. 8 were not triggered from outside of the structure," the fire department said Friday. "While we remain confident that natural gas was involved, we will transition our investigation focus to inside the structure."
Fire officials said since the investigation's first hours that while a cause for the blast hasn't been confirmed, they believe natural gas was involved.
“Although this is still in the early stages of the investigation, this is a significant development and provides us the ability to focus on a smaller footprint in order to try and determine a cause of this tragic event for all involved,” stated Fire Chief Jim Davis. “We appreciate everyone’s continued cooperation.”
The fire investigation unit will continue to be the lead agency in the ongoing investigation, working with the Fort Worth Police and other partner agencies including the Sandman Signature Hotel.
If you suspect a natural gas leak, leave the area immediately and from a safe distance call 911 and Atmos Energy's 24-hour toll-free emergency number at 866-322-8667.
To learn more about natural gas home safety, visit atmosenergy.com/safety/home-safety.
