A propane explosion in Laurel, Maryland, forced the city on Saturday to cancel its Main Street Festival Parade, but the festival itself went on.
After an hourslong deliberation by city organizers, the festival was pushed to start at 11 a.m.
“We have vendors here to spend a lot of money to bring their products in, and we like people to be able to support them,” Jim Cross, chairman of the nonprofit Laurel Board of Trade, told WTOP.
The explosion happened around 8 a.m. at the intersection of 4th and Main streets during vendor setup for the parade, according to a post on X by the City of Laurel.
Officials have said that one person, an adult man, was hospitalized with serious but non-life-threatening burns. No other injuries in relation to the explosion were reported.
The city has said that the explosion has “been contained.”
Vendor Enica Barnes was just a few tents down from the explosion and is thankful that the incident hasn’t affected festival morale too much.
“You just never know what’s going to happen, and you have to persevere. You have to move forward, and you have to think of things from the bright side,” Barnes said.
The area was secured by the Baltimore Gas and Electric company, the city said. Foot traffic is being rerouted away from the scene.
“The City of Laurel appreciates the community’s understanding and cooperation as we prioritize safety and work to keep the event moving forward,” an updated statement reads.
WTOP’s Grace Newton contributed to this story.
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