Photo: Jose A. Bernat Bacete / Moment / Getty Images
Miami, FL - A powerful gas explosion rocked a Florida City strip mall Saturday morning, injuring 10 people and prompting a large-scale emergency response by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue.
The incident occurred near the 900 block of West Palm Drive, where a suspected propane leak led to a blast that caused a partial roof collapse in the commercial complex.
Fire officials reported that more than 27 emergency units responded to the scene to assist with rescue and recovery.
Eight of the victims were transported by paramedics to local hospitals, while two others made their way to medical care on their own.
Two of the injured were airlifted as trauma alerts due to the severity of their conditions.
Authorities have not yet disclosed the full extent of injuries.
K-9 search teams were deployed into the damaged structure to ensure no one remained trapped under the debris.
The building was later declared structurally unsafe by fire officials.
Among the injured was Luz Tejeda, owner of Diva’s Dominican Hair Spa.
She was working when the explosion occurred and said debris from the ceiling and lighting fixtures struck her.
“The lamp and roof came down on my head,” she recalled, adding she was thankful to be alive despite injuries to her head and arm.
Nearby business owners mentioned that a restaurant in the plaza was celebrating its grand opening at the time of the explosion.
Investigators are still working to determine the exact cause of the blast, which is believed to be related to propane gas.