Nevada residents may be interested to know about a possible gas explosion that occurred on July 6 at a shopping center in the town of Plantation, Fla. The blast injured around 21 people and damaged multiple stores, blowing out the windows of a gym and leaving a pizza restaurant with nothing but its metal frame. One section of the shopping center had its roof blown off.
The debris, which included bricks and pieces of the center’s walls and roof, was shot out hundreds of yards. One passer-by in a nearby parking lot hid under his vehicle to avoid injury. The Plantation Fire Department received a call about the incident shortly before 11:30 a.m. Eastern Time. Upon arrival, authorities found ruptured gas lines and shut off the gas. It is not certain whether the gas leak caused the explosion.
Of the 21 people who were injured, two suffered serious injuries and one incurred Level 1 trauma. There were no fatalities. More may have been injured because some victims left the scene only to return later. It appears that the blast did not result in visible flames. The fire that erupted quickly went out once the building was ignited.
It may be that the explosion was caused indirectly through the negligence of a property owner. All property owners have a duty of care to lawful entrants, and this duty includes maintaining the property and having it repaired when necessary. Someone who has been injured on another’s property could possibly file a premises liability claim, but they may want to see a lawyer before moving forward. A lawyer might help them build up the case with evidence, much of it obtained through investigators and other third parties.
