HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – A man was seriously hurt and rushed to a nearby hospital after an explosion at a gas station in Hallandale Beach Tuesday afternoon, according to Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue officials.
It happened just before 12:30 p.m. at the Mobil at 26 S. Federal Highway, immediately south of Hallandale Beach Boulevard.
A BSFR spokesperson said the gas station was closed for an excavation project at the time.
“It appears the fire was triggered by vapors escaping from an underground fuel storage tank, which were ignited by nearby machinery,” the spokesperson said.
According to BSFR, a witness “described the explosion as an intense rumble that shook the ground violently.”
First responders arrived to the scene and found a man in his 30s lying on the ground unresponsive, officials said.
The victim sustained second and third-degree burns to more than half of his body. Officials said medics treated him at the scene and took him to HCA Florida Aventura Hospital as a trauma alert patient.
Authorities said firefighters were able to put out the blaze within 10 minutes, but the explosion left a 50-foot crater in the ground.
They said the Florida State Fire Marshal’s Office will investigate to determine the exact cause of the explosion and fire.
Video of scene (courtesy BSFR):