Explosion ravages city block

Neighbors reported an explosion before fire raged through at least 17 East Baltimore homes Monday afternoon, leading city investigators to consider a gas leak as a possible trigger.

A blast shook the mostly vacant row homes on the 300 block of East 20th Street between Barclay and Guilford Streets just after 3 p.m., fire officials said, creating a plume of thick black smoke that could be seen for miles and reduced visibility on the street to nothing.