Today in fire history: natural gas explosion in motel kills four

On Sunday, February 18, 1990, a natural gas explosion and subsequent fire in a motel in Hagerstown, Maryland caused the deaths of four guests and minor injuries to ten others. At approximately 5:20 a.m. two guests reported the smell of gas to the hotel desk clerk. The clerk then confirmed that there was a gas leak, called the gas company, and attempted to stop the gas that was escaping. Neither the gas company nor the clerk called the fire department, and the building alarm was not activated until after the explosion occurred at about 5:30. Hagerstown Fire Department investigators determined...