A propane tank blew up in Laurel on Saturday morning, injuring a vendor who was setting up for the city’s annual Main Street Festival and prompting officials to cancel a parade planned for the day.

The vendor went to the hospital, where his condition is unknown, Laurel Mayor Keith R. Sydnor said at a press conference Saturday.

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The incident, captured in photos and video shared on social media, appeared to send a wall of billowing flames and smoke up on Laurel’s Main Street.

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Emergency crews and workers with Baltimore Gas and Electric responded to the scene, evacuating pedestrians and clearing debris.

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The City of Laurel canceled the Mainstreet Festival Parade after a propane explosion at the intersection of 4th and Main streets on Saturday, May 10, 2025.
Firefighters and workers from Baltimore Gas and Electric responded to the explosion. (City of Laurel)

Despite the explosion, the festival, now in its 44th year, kicked off at 11 a.m. Saturday, with foot traffic redirected around the incident.