One Dead In Explosion At Coryell Memorial Health Hospital

GATESVILLE, TX — One person died and 12 were injured Tuesday afternoon after an explosion at Coryell Memorial Hospital in Gatesville, Texas, near Waco.

The explosion happened about 2:15 p.m. in an area that was under construction. David Byrom, the hospital's CEO, said in a press conference that the people injured in the blast were construction workers and not patients or staff members at the hospital.

After the blast, a search was conducted for one missing person, Byrom said. That person has since been found and taken to a nearby hospital.

The injured workers suffered burn injuries, and many were taken to Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas, Byrom said. Three or four of those workers had severe injuries.

An electric generator inside an uncompleted hospital expansion exploded, spreading shrapnel, according to witnesses. However, Byrom said the blast possibly started with a gas line.

Damage from the explosion prompted the hospital to relocate its 12 patients to hospitals in nearby cities and 120 residents of the hospital's independent, assisted and nursing living facilities were taken to neighboring facilities and local churches, officials said. They were relocated to more permanent overnight shelters Tuesday evening, Byrom said.

Bob Harrell, Coryell County emergency manager, said the explosion caused a section of the construction project to collapse.

A Texas-New Mexico Power Company spokesperson told The Associated Press the explosion knocked out power across a large portion of the city. Some 900 homes and businesses in Gatesville were initially without power before most of the power was restored just before 6 p.m., the utility spokesman said.

The state fire marshal is investigating. Hospital officials said they do not yet know when the facility will reopen.

Related on Patch:

• Austin EMS, Fire Crews Rush To Gatesville Hospital Explosion

Watch the press conference here:

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report. Payton Potter contributed to this report.

Image via Belton Police Department