Overview
- Fire officials said twelve firefighters—eleven from Salisbury and one from Spencer—were hospitalized with injuries that are not considered life-threatening.
- Two additional people were taken to a hospital, and officials did not release their conditions or confirm whether they were inside the home.
- The single-family house on the 1100 block of Laurel Street was engulfed in flames just before 5 p.m. when it exploded, according to Salisbury Fire Chief Bob Parnell.
- Parnell said the blast blew out walls, lifted the roof that later collapsed, and was powerful enough to knock firefighters’ masks off as they worked on ventilation, hose lines, and a primary search.
- Authorities previously reported that a gas line inside the home opened and exploded during firefighting operations, and the investigation into the cause remains active.