A historic Texas hotel in Fort Worth witnessed a devastating explosion on Monday, causing chaos in downtown streets and leaving 21 people injured, including one in critical condition.

According to reports, the blast occurred in the middle of the afternoon, blowing out windows and flung doors and entire sections of walls onto the road.

The 20-story Sandman Signature Hotel, located just one block from the Fort Worth Convention Center, suffered extensive damage.

The hotel suffered significant damage to two floors with debris covering major parts of the streets.

Authorities believe a gas leak may have caused the explosion, with the hotel undergoing construction at the time.

An eyewitness, Charlie Collier, described the aftermath: “There was debris. There was insulation. There was office furniture. Everything that was in the first couple of floors of the building was blown out all over the street.”

Rescue crews found several people trapped in the basement, and 15 individuals were transported to hospitals, including six in “semi-critical” condition, according to MedStar, the emergency medical services provider in Fort Worth.

The hotel had more than two dozen occupied rooms during the incident.

The Fort Worth Fire Department spokesperson, Craig Trojacek, mentioned that a restaurant in the building was under construction, but the exact location of the blast is yet to be determined.

Rescue efforts were hindered by the extensive debris, making some parts of the building inaccessible.

Northland Properties Co., the Canadian company that owns the hotel, expressed concern for the well-being of team members and guests, stating, “The safety and well-being of our team members and guests are our priority.”

The Sandman Signature Hotel was built in 1920 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.