Houston explosion: Downtown building explodes into flames

An image of a burning building in downtown Houston, shared on Twitter on August 28, 2017 (Eliud Balderas/Twitter)

An explosion has rocked a building in downtown Houston, with a office bursting into flames according to eyewitness video.

A Twitter user named Eliud Balderas posted a video that shows a burning building pouring black smoke into the sky.

Local ABC affiliate KTRK reported that the blazing structure houses Lone Star Legal Aid, which provides free legal assistance. The organization's social media accounts made no mention of the conflagration but noted that a half-dozen offices across Texas were closed on Monday as a powerful storm continues to batter the state.

Thousands of people have been displaced or trapped in their homes as Hurricane Harvey has inundated Houston. Donald Trump has approved disaster declarations for both Texas and Louisiana, which authorizes the Federal Emergency Management Agency to oversee relief efforts.

Houston officials were scrambling to help people escape floodwaters, publicly appealing to anyone who had a boat and was able to help out.