An explosion with "catastrophic damage" to a garden-style four-story building has left over a dozen injured, five seriously, in Silver Spring, Maryland, Thursday, a Montgomery County Fire Department Public Information Officer in the United States said.

Upon arrival, firefighters immediately made several rescues, said Pete Piringer, the Montgomery County Fire Department PIO. All priority-one patients have been transported or are in transit to a nearby hospital, he said. 

"I think there were people we were looking for and I think they've been accounted for," said Piringer. "Again, that's preliminary, but we did make several rescues."

The fire department was called in for an explosion at the apartment around 10:30 a.m., Piringer said. Arriving at the scene, firefighters encountered heavy fire, he said. 

Piringer said the four-story apartment building, which had between 12 and 18 units, sustained heavy structural damage. Though the fire has been contained, fire personnel have evacuated nearby buildings.

There are currently over 100 firefighters on the scene and none have suffered injuries, Piringer said. EMS is also currently on the scene offering support, he said.

(With input from agencies)