A new video shows the moment the explosion at the Sandman Signature Hotel rocked downtown Fort Worth.
Security footage from the O’Hanlon, Demerath & Castillo law office located across from the hotel showed a flash of light when the blast went off, followed by a loud boom that shook the building.
“We didn’t really know what happened,” said witness Joseph Curry. “It looked like a bomb had went off, and it was essentially something very similar to that.”
Curry lives and works downtown and was turning the corner when he saw Houston Street covered in debris from the explosion and two people bloodied from the impact being helped by first responders.
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“There was a gentleman being helped by a police officer away from the scene there. He was kind of bloodied up,” said Curry. “It was pretty rough looking.”
With investigators continuing to search and clean up the area, the Fort Worth fire chief told NBC 5 the streets surrounding the hotel could remain shut off for several days.
Curry was kept out of his building until Monday night and is now considering the lingering impact on business owners.
“The bottom of my building is nothing but businesses, and none of them are able to work today, so nobody’s earning a paycheck right now,” Curry said.
More collateral damage: plans for the opening weekend of the annual Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo.
Saturday morning’s parade route was set to come through the portion of Houston Street that runs past the hotel.
“We remain in close communication with city of Fort Worth officials regarding the tragedy at the Sandman Signature Hotel and its potential impact on the Stock Show’s parade scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 13,” organizers said in a statement.
“Our hope is that the parade will occur as planned while recognizing the importance of the ongoing investigation of the incident and the need to ensure the safety of parade spectators and participants.”
“We will notify the participants and the public as soon as decisions are made regarding the parade,” the statement concluded.
City leaders said they intended to meet on Wednesday to discuss possible changes of plans for the parade because of the investigation into the explosion.