Explosion at historic Texas hotel

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Explosion at historic Texas hotel injures 21 and scatters debris in downtown Fort Worth

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — An explosion at a historic Texas hotel in Fort Worth on Monday blew out windows, littered downtown streets with large sections of debris from the building and injured 21 people, including one who was in critical condition, authorities said.

https://apnews.com/article/fort-worth-texas-explosion-b134cda8a38ae5bad5eef2c6e4a73422?

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The Sandman hotel explosion, three weeks later

Fort Worth fire says the explosion remains under investigation. Photo: Amanda McCoy/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

The site of an explosion that injured 21 people in downtown Fort Worth remains closed three weeks later as lawsuits pile up in the case. Why it matters: The Sandman Signature Hotel and Musume, an Asian fusion restaurant in the building, are shuttered while the source of the explosion remains under investigation. So far, no one has taken responsibility for it, and the answer might come from the courts. Catch up quick: The Sandman Signature Hotel opened last spring in a historic 1920s building. Twenty-six of the hotel's rooms were occupied at the time of the Jan. 8 blast, which jolted downtown and filled the surrounding streets with debris. 21 people were injured, one critically and four seriously. There were no fatalities. Fort Worth fire officials told Axios yesterday that the explosion appears to be caused by "combustible gas." Atmos Energy said on Jan. 12, after safety checks and an initial investigation, that it "found no indication" that its system was involved in the explosion. What's happening: There are at least 10 lawsuits related to the explosion, KERA reports. The defendants include Atmos and the companies that oversee the hotel. Zoom in: One of the victims said through his attorney that he reported "the intense smell of natural gas, to the point of burning his eyes" to the hotel's management about 90 minutes before the explosion. He had to crawl out of the debris after the explosion with a traumatic head injury and difficulty breathing. He's alleging gross negligence in his lawsuit against Atmos, Sandman, its management and owners, and Musume. The other side: Atmos Energy and Northland Properties, the Canadian hospitality group that owns Sandman hotels, did not reply to requests for comment yesterday. Atmos Energy recently filed a motion seeking to prove that the leak was linked to the hotel itself, per FOX4. Read more