SkyEye flew over the active scene outside a Holiday Inn on Texas Avenue between Caroline and Austin streets, where multiple ambulances could be seen responding. The hotel's website states that it is currently under construction and not open to the public, with plans to open in December.
Houston Fire Department officials said they were dispatched at about 11:08 a.m. to a reported high-rise fire at 1319 Texas.
HFD initially stated there were reports of an issue with a boiler located roughly 17-18 stories up, which led to an explosion. In a later update, the department said it was actually a pressure situation with a tankless water heater. They said a natural gas line exploded, causing the windows to blow out and a fire to flare up quickly.
"We've got multiple patients transported from this location to Memorial Hermann in the Med Center with injuries related to the explosion," HFD Communications Director Brent Taylor said.
HFD said six people were taken to the hospital and were all construction workers. Officials said all injuries to the workers are burns and lacerations.
Arson investigators are now working to determine the cause and origin of the incident.
"It's very fortunate that more people were not injured," Taylor said, adding that the immediate area with fallen debris is roped off.
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