JPS Health Network reported two patients were admitted for injuries sustained during the explosion, four were treated and released, and one was transferred to Parkland Health in Dallas for major burns.
“We received the first patient 20 minutes [after the explosion], and a total of seven patients throughout the evening,” Dr. Raj Gandhi, JPS medical director of trauma services, said.
Additional patients were taken to other area hospitals for treatment. There has not been more information released about their condition.
Matt Zavadsky, chief transformation officer for MedStar, said the most common injuries treated by paramedics were burns, cuts, bruises, head injuries. There were also several potential fractures, he said.
2 p.m. There is no indication that the explosion was intentional, Fort Worth Fire Chief Jim Davis and Police Chief Neil Noakes told Fort Worth City Council members in an afternoon update. The chiefs referenced rumors on social media about car bombs and other malicious activity and confirmed they are not true.
They did confirm that they are investigating a gas leak at the site and what role it played in the explosion.
“The question that we have, that we’re waiting to work together with Atmos on, is whether or not a gas leak caused the explosion, or the explosion caused the gas leak,” Davis said.
According to Davis, the major structural issue with the hotel is that the concrete floor from the first level collapsed into the basement. The majority of the other damage is glass-related due to the collapse of the floor. A plan is already being worked on to help the building owner and secure the structure.
In addition, the fire department worked with cadaver dogs from the state to do secondary sweeps of the building.
“We removed all the victims that we could see, but there’s concrete down from the first floor pancaked into the basement,” he said. He stressed that no one is unaccounted for, and the secondary searches are out of an abundance of caution.
A structural engineer was on site per protocol to check the structural integrity of the building, Davis said.
City officials said 8th Street is expected to remain closed for a while due to “significant damage.”
“That road is going to be closed for a while until they figure out how to repair that road,” Davis said.
Only 28 rooms were being used in the 245-room hotel, Davis said. The hope is to return the building to its owner by Tuesday evening.
Other city departments, including environmental and development services, are working to further assess the damage to the environment and building and plan cleanup efforts.
“It was chaotic, it was devastating, it was kind of hard to see here in the heart of Fort Worth,” Noakes said. “But what I saw was Fort Worthians doing what they do. I saw residents who were coming out, people who work in businesses, they were assisting those who were injured.”
He applauded the speed and hard work of dozens of first responders who worked through the day and into the night.
“There were dozens and dozens and dozens of your first responders who were here on the scene within a minute or less,” he said.
1:15 p.m. The Fort Worth Fire Department closed streets surrounding the Sandman Hotel:
- Throckmorton Street closed from West 7th Street to West 9th Street.
- Houston Street closed from West 7th Street to West 9th Street.
- West 8th Street closed from Throckmorton to Main Street.
Businesses along those streets will remain temporarily closed. The businesses affected by the street closures include:
- J’s Burgers & More
- Barber’s Bookstore
- Thompson’s Bookstore
- La’Creamian
- The Winchester
- Basic Bar
- The Archibald
- Al Dente Italian Trattoria
- FedEx
- Peter Bros. Hats
- PlainsCapital Bank
One business that was immediately affected was Musume, the Asian fusion and sushi restaurant, located in the basement of the Sandman Hotel. Musume co-founder Josh Babb wrote in a statement that the explosion is devastating.
The restaurant was closed during the time of the explosion, but three employees were injured and taken to the hospital for treatment. As of 11:07 a.m. Jan. 9, Babb said two employees have been released, and one remains in the hospital in stable condition.
Babb said in a statement that he is still not sure the extent of the damage.
“We have not been allowed to go inside or survey damage incurred as the building (and) site are under investigation,” Babb wrote to the Fort Worth Report.
Plans on whether to relocate or rebuild following the explosion haven’t taken place yet. The 40-45 Musume employees have been reassigned to jobs at parent company Rock Libations, which Babb co-owns. That business has nine restaurants across the Dallas and Fort Worth area, he said. Musume also has a location in Dallas.
12:45 p.m. A downtown parade honoring Martin Luther King Jr. at 11 a.m. Jan. 15 is expected to continue as planned.
The Greater Fort Worth Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Committee Inc., which produces the parade, is monitoring the situation downtown for updates. Chair Krista Boyce Daniels said that they are praying for everyone involved.
11:30 a.m. The Fort Worth Police Department has designated the hotel as a “hot zone” while first responders continue search and rescue efforts and begin cleanup, according to department spokesperson Jimmy Pollozani.
“This is going to take several days for first responders to conduct their search and cleanup,” Pollozani said in an email to the Report.
11:25 a.m. The Tarrant County Commissioners Court addressed the explosion at a public meeting Tuesday. County Judge Tim O’Hare said the county sent its employees home early yesterday out of an abundance of caution.
Sheriff deputies were on scene to assist Fort Worth fire and police as needed.
“Miraculously, (there were) no casualties. Nobody died in this,” O’Hare said. “Please remember to pray for those who were injured and their families.”
11:15 a.m. The Fort Worth Chamber has rescheduled all of its events scheduled for Jan. 9, including Netty Matthews’ 35th Anniversary Celebration. The celebration of Matthews has been rescheduled for Jan. 16, according to a social media post from the chamber.
The chamber’s offices are open, however, and its team is “fully committed to supporting the Fort Worth business community,” according to the social media post. “We stand in solidarity with Sandman Signature Hotels and are here to offer assistance during these challenging times.”
9:30 a.m. Less than 24 hours after an explosion at the Sandman Signature Fort Worth Downtown Hotel rocked the area, the The Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo is keeping a close eye on whether the tragedy will alter plans for one of its signature events.
The stock show and rodeo hosts an annual parade downtown along Main and Houston streets. This year’s parade is scheduled for Jan. 13 — but the planned path cuts along Houston Street, past the Sandman hotel site. That portion of the street is still closed down while first responders assess the structural integrity of the building and continue search and rescue operations.
Julie Bryant, parade and grand entry coordinator, said the stock show and rodeo is communicating closely with city of Fort Worth officials about the potential impact on the parade.
“Our hope is that the parade will occur as planned while recognizing the importance of the on-going investigation of the incident and the need to ensure the safety of parade spectators and participants,” she wrote in a statement. “We will notify the participants and the public as soon as decisions are made regarding the parade and extend our support and concerns to those injured in the tragedy as well as the first responders who came to their rescue.”
The Fort Worth Fire Department and MedStar have confirmed 21 injured in the blast. Twenty people were treated on scene, 14 of whom were transported to area hospitals, and one person walked into a hospital on their own after the explosion.
In addition to parts of Houston Street, Throckmorton Street is closed from West 7th Street to West 9th Street, and West 8th Street is closed from Throckmorton to Main Street.
This article first appeared on Fort Worth Report and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.