Explosion Injures Six at Downtown Houston Hotel Under Construction

HOUSTON, Texas — An explosion at a hotel under construction in downtown Houston injured six construction workers on Thursday morning. The Houston Fire Department responded to the incident at 11:08 a.m. at 1319 Texas Avenue, near Austin Street.

Fire officials stated that the blast was caused by an explosion of a bank of tankless water heaters. Initial reports suggested a boiler issue, but investigators later confirmed the source of the explosion was a natural gas line, which caused windows to blow out and started a small fire.

All injured workers were rushed to Memorial Hermann Hospital in the Texas Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries, including burns and cuts. Houston Fire Department Communications Director Brent Taylor emphasized that the casualties could have been worse if the area had been busier.

“It’s very fortunate that more people were not injured,” Taylor said. “The explosion occurred when most workers were the only people nearby.” Witnesses described a loud boom followed by debris raining down from the building.

Residents in the vicinity reported hearing the explosion. Paul Navejar, who lives nearby, recalled, “Just after 11 o’clock, I heard a loud boom. I could see glass raining down and parts of the building flapping in the breeze.”

The construction site, which is developing a 17-story Holiday Inn Express and Staybridge Suites, has been under construction since October 2023. The project was anticipated to open to the public this December, with 275 rooms planned.

The intersection of Texas Avenue and Austin Street is expected to remain closed for several days as authorities assess the building’s structural integrity. Multiple agencies, including the Houston Fire Department’s Arson Division and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, are investigating the explosion.

Chad Pinkerton, a personal injury lawyer specializing in commercial construction incidents, said that improper installations or poor inspections often lead to such explosions. “If workers were closer to the tankless water heaters, there could have been life-threatening injuries or deaths,” Pinkerton noted.

As a precaution, officials are urging the public to avoid the downtown area around the blast site. Roads nearby will likely affect Houston’s evening rush hour traffic.