Gas explosion kills two, injures over 100 at Escambia County Jail in Florida

A SUSPECTED gas explosion at a jail in Florida has killed two people, caused major damage and left 100 inmates injured.

The explosion shortly before midnight on Wednesday caused part of a building at the Escambia County Jail to collapse, CNN has reported, quoting local police.

Pensacola Police Officer Maria Landy told ABC News Radio that two people have died, but it is unknown if the victims were inmates or guards.

Two people are dead & more than 100 injured after an apparent gas explosion at a Florida jail. http://t.co/BSvBQCeRU0 pic.twitter.com/JGSmOVCCCa

— WBIR Channel 10 (@wbir) May 1, 2014

Some 600 prisoners were in the building at the time of the explosion.

County spokeswoman Kathleen Castro confirmed the jail’s partial collapse.

“The building is partially collapsed,” Castro said.

The blast apparently was a gas explosion, she said, but it was unclear what caused it. It might have been related to severe storms that have blasted the southe United States, she added.

Unhurt inmates were transferred to other facilities.

A search-and-rescue operation is under way.