Fourteen people are hurt but all residents are accounted for after a powerful explosion and fire ripped through an apartment complex in Silver Spring, Maryland, on Thursday, officials said in an update Friday.
Investigators combing through wreckage at the Friendly Garden Apartments complex on Friday found a cut gas pipe in the basement of the building where the explosion occurred, Montgomery County Fire Chief Scott Goldstein said at an afternoon news conference.
One theory on the possible cause of the explosion is related to plumbing work being done by a property management worker before the blast, Goldstein said. He stressed that it is only a theory at this early stage. The worker is hospitalized and was interviewed by investigators.
“It is possible that the worker cut that gas pipe,” Goldstein said.
The source of ignition is still unclear.
According to multiple sources familiar with the early stages of the investigation, the maintenance worker told investigators, from his hospital bed, that he’d been conducting a plumbing repair in the basement utility room. The sources say the man said he was surprised when he cut a pipe, referred to as a line, and no water came out. He then went upstairs to a first-floor apartment to troubleshoot.
Not long afterward the building exploded from the ground up.
Three people, including a child, have serious injuries, Goldstein said. The others, including another child, have injuries that range from minor to moderate. Seven people have been discharged from hospitals, and seven are still being treated.
Miraculously, no known residents of 2405 Lyttonsville Road — the building where the explosion occurred — died or are missing.
Crews, including search dogs, continued to comb the rubble on Friday in case someone visiting the building, such as a delivery worker, could have been killed, Goldstein said.
Dogs trained to search for human remains gave “possible indications of alerts” on Thursday. On Friday morning, they alerted to the front, left corner of the building where the explosion occurred, Goldstein said. They alerted to a similar area again later in the day.
“Until we get down to the dirt beneath any of the debris, we will be considering that we have a victim,” Goldstein said.
It’s possible that the dogs are picking up on people’s clothing or personal items, not human remains, he said.
A fence blocked off the destroyed buildings Friday morning. Crumbled bricks, charred building materials and residents' personal items could be seen.
Day two operations began early Friday once the sun came up, Montgomery County Fire and Rescue spokesman Pete Piringer said. Crews will keep searching for answers on why the devastating blast occurred.
Explosion, Fire Destroy Silver Spring Apartments, Seriously Injure 3
Flames consumed a building at the Friendly Garden Apartments on Lyttonsville Road at about 10:30 a.m. Thursday after an enormous boom alarmed residents across the area. Video shows the moment of the explosion: A gray cloud of debris erupted outward as a thunderous rumble sounded. When the sound of the explosion stopped, screams could be heard.
People who live nearby rushed to help injured residents and warn others to run. One man described catching a baby tossed down from a window.
“These are really good people around here. People from all over the world live in this building,” witness Andre Kinard said. “I hope that we didn’t leave anybody behind.”
Three people were seriously hurt and seven others had injuries ranging from "moderate to minor," Goldstein said at an afternoon news conference. Goldstein initially said "several" people were unaccounted for.
Goldstein said Friday that four other people also went to hospitals, bringing the total to 14.
Three of the apartment complex's six buildings were declared unsafe. None of the buildings in the complex have power, Goldstein said Friday, meaning that about 225 residents are now displaced. Making Home Possible is helping those displaced.
On Thursday evening, firefighters were still actively searching for anyone who could be stuck in the rubble but were limited to certain areas because of safety concerns. Crews brought in heavy machinery and knocked down an unstable, unsupported wall to aid the search.
What are survivors dealing with now?
Some survivors of the blast are staying with friends or family members; others are staying in shelters.
Dozens of residents stood in the cold Friday waiting for help from building managers. One employee told the crowd they would have some answers in 10 minutes. A resident said later that they were told it would take until Monday for managers to provide help with housing.
Some residents were allowed back into the undamaged portions of the apartment complex.
Resident Andargie Alemayehu ran outside with nothing, as many people did. He was able to return on Friday for medication. He’s staying in a shelter but worries he could contract COVID-19 there and slept wearing a mask. He’s hoping for help finding housing.
“We don’t have anything, so we cannot rent hotels by ourselves,” Alemayehu said.
Residents said they were desperate for answers and had no place to go.
Adolis Tefari was staying with a friend when the explosion occurred.
“I went straight with my PJs and everybody. I have seen people who were just wearing boxers and running for their life. We were scared,” she said.
Go here for info on how to donate to survivors.
What caused the explosion at the Silver Spring apartments?
Goldstein said it's still too early to determine a possible cause, but they did find a cut gas pipe. It's possible that a maintenance worker doing plumbing work cut the line. That worker is hospitalized. Goldstein stressed that the explosion's link to that work is only an early theory.
At least two people said they smelled gas at the Friendly Garden Apartments on Thursday. Goldstein said the fire department had not received any calls about gas concerns or gas leaks at the apartment complex since Jan. 1, 2021.
Washington Gas and Pepco responded to the scene, along with representatives from Montgomery County agencies, officials said Thursday.
Washington Gas released this statement Friday afternoon:
"Washington Gas has been on the scene to cooperate and fully support the efforts of first responders and investigators at the site of the Friendly Garden apartment incident in Silver Spring. Our personnel will continue to assist the fire department and other local officials on the scene. As always, the safety of our customers and community is our top priority. We will remain onsite to continue supporting the active investigation. We do not have further details to share at this time."
Before the explosion, Friendly Garden Apartments had been scheduled for an interior inspection by the county’s Department of Housing on March 31.
