9 Injured in Shopping Center Explosion

Eight firefighters and a gas worker were hurt after an explosion rocked the Penn-Mar Shopping Center in Forestville, Maryland on Thursday afternoon. Six businesses, including a pregnancy center, were destroyed.

Those who were hurt all suffered second-degree burns and cuts from flying glass. Officials say there was a strong odor of natural gas when firefighters arrived at the scene. About 20 minutes later, the building exploded.

The whole thing was caught on what is truly unbelievable dash-cam video.

Investigators say the first sign of trouble came with an urgent call over the radio. A flash fire had broken out in the back of the building. As the scene commander ordered one of the last businesses to be ventilated, the blast went off. Several firefighters sustained injuries to their faces and hands. Some were burned, and others were hit by flying glass.

Fire officials and investigators finally cleared the scene late Thursday, and the complex management was securing the area. The epicenter of the explosion is believed to be at a vacant business.

Neighbors say work had been going on there, but there's no way to know if that had anything to do with the smell of gas or the explosion.

The explosion was even felt at homes blocks away from the scene.

"What I heard was a loud explosion," said John McKenna, a witness. "What I saw was flying glass busting through and flames up in the air."

The explosion came just hours after an urgent call Thursday morning from an employee at The Pregnancy center and a Leto Pizza manager. Both had been smelling a strong odor of gas.

"I see gas was coming from underground and it was making a noise and since it was raining I see it bubbling," said Mohammed Siddique, the Ledo Pizza manager.

"They were scared-- I was scared, too," said Prince George's County Fire Battalion Chief Kenny McSwain. "It was the first time I had been on the scene and a building explodes like this."

As of Thursday night, three people remained hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries.

Foul play is not suspected in this explosion. FOX 5 has been told that the businesses that were shut down may reopen as early as Friday. Some of the businesses, however, were a total loss.