Hallandale Beach, Florida – A man is in critical condition after a gas station explosion that occurred during an excavation project on Tuesday. The incident, which took place at the Mobil station on 26 S. Federal Highway, resulted in the man sustaining severe burns over half of his body.
Eyewitnesses described a terrifying scene of intense rumbling and ground-shaking vibrations when the explosion occurred. Emergency response teams arrived to find the victim lying unconscious on the ground, with flames erupting from nearby machinery.
The victim, a man in his 30s, was promptly treated for second- and third-degree burns by first responders before being transported to Aventura Medical Center as a trauma alert. Firefighters managed to extinguish the blaze within 10 minutes, but not before it caused significant damage, including a 50-foot diameter crater.
Authorities suspect that the explosion was triggered by vapors escaping from an underground fuel storage tank, which were ignited by nearby machinery at the site. The gas station had been closed for the ongoing excavation project at the time of the incident.
The Florida Fire Marshal’s Office has launched an investigation into the cause of the explosion and subsequent fire. They are working to determine the precise circumstances that led to the dangerous incident, ensuring that necessary safety measures are put in place to prevent similar accidents in the future.