Baltimore rocked by massive gas explosion that rips through several homes, killing at least one

A large gas explosion in Northwest Baltimore tore through three homes in the Reisterstown Station neighborhood on Monday morning, killing at least one and seriously injuring several others, according to Baltimore Fire officials.

While the cause of the gas explosion was not immediately clear, police are warning people to avoid the area, as the leak is still active. The Mayor of Baltimore, Bernard "Jack" Young, is on the scene and Governor Larry Hogan said the situation is being monitored closely. 

A special rescue operations team is on the ground conducting search efforts, according to the Baltimore firefighters union. As of noon, the rescue workers were attempting to recover two people and locate additional residents.

Officials from the Baltimore Gas and Electric are also on site attempting to determine the exact cause of the explosion, which occurred shortly before 10:00 a.m. 

Last year, the Baltimore Sun reported that many Baltimore-area gas lines are seriously in need of repair and gas leaks are so frequent that nearly two dozen are discovered each day. Baltimore Gas and Electric Co. officials say that in the last decade, the number of leaks has increased by 75% during an intense failure of manufactured pipe joints installed between 60-70 years ago. There are still several people, possibly including children, trapped beneath the rubble.