At Least 21 Injured After Explosion at Florida Shopping Center: 'It Was Like a War Zone'

At least 21 people were injured after an explosion at a shopping center in Plantation, Florida, on Saturday, according to authorities.

Officials said the blast, which occurred around 11:30 a.m., was caused by a gas explosion. An investigation is still ongoing.

The explosion sent large pieces of debris nearly 100 yards across the street from the shopping center, according to USA Today.

Joel Gordon, deputy chief of the Plantation Fire Department, confirmed that over two dozen people had received medical care for their injuries, two of which were seriously hurt and one with life-threatening injuries, USA Today reported. Thirteen people were taken to the Westside Regional Medical Center emergency room, ABC News reports.

There were no confirmed fatalities as of Saturday afternoon.

“We believe we have accounted for everybody at this point,” Gordon said. “We’re still searching the collapsed area for anybody else.”

“This is still active. It’s still going,” he added before saying “this could have been a lot worse.”

Gordon told the press that several stores were completely damaged by the blast, including an LA Fitness gym located within the shopping center.

Michael Lind, a former firefighter who helped evacuate people, told the Miami Herald that only the frame of the vacant pizza shop next door remained. “It was like a war zone,” Lind said. “I’ve seen buildings blow up in the past but I’ve never seen it like this. it was just so much debris. The sheet metal was twisted. There was a lot of energy behind that explosion.”

Both local fire and police departments tweeted that the street, as well as all businesses near the blast site, are closed to traffic until further notice.