MD - 7 Dead, 39 Injured in Massive Apartment Explosion, Silver Spring, 11 Aug 2016

[Hatfield]

Earlier this week, crews from Washington Gas tested gas lines near the scene of the explosion. Several residents of the building said they had reported smelling the odor of natural gas in the weeks before the explosion. The fire department was called to the complex several weeks before the explosion to respond to reports of a gas odor.

http://wtop.com/montgomery-county/2...in-silver-spring-apartment-complex-explosion/

Obviously they did not do nearly enough.

This is ridiculous that they had many calls about it and did not identify the source and just left. It can be hard to find the source but they should not just give up. Good Grief.

 

[Hatfield]

Reminds me of those warning signs you see about calling utility companies when digging so they can mark their lines. Sometimes companies seem to ignore doing that and just cut the lines by accident and then end up calling another utility company to fix it.


Here is video of what happens to a house when gas explodes the house. Feb 2015 incident in NJ

[video=youtube;2345AV9ZbrI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2345AV9ZbrI[/video]


Here is one in Feb where they had trouble finding the source too and almost was a real tragedy

http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Gas-Leak-Causes-Explosion-at-Woodbridge-Home-368012251.html



Here is a house that had an explosion just 3 days ago

http://katv.com/news/local/natural-gas-leak-believed-to-have-caused-house-explosion

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

6th victim identified from Silver Spring apartment explosion

Aseged Mekonen, 34, who had been listed among seven people missing after the fire, has been positively identified, police said in a statement.

Saeda Ibrahim, 41, is the lone remaining resident still listed as missing by police.

Friends fondly recall sixth victim identified in Silver Spring fire: ‘He was friendly for everybody.’

“He was friendly for everybody,” said Tigist Atreso, the owner of the TG Silver Spring Mart in downtown Silver Spring, which sells injera.

She said that Mekonen, a native of Ethiopia, often asked her about owning the shop, and said he wanted to build a business like that as well. “He had a big plan,” Atreso said.

“He barely rested,” added Aida Zewdu, another employee at Wesenyelesh, who said her mother--the owner of the market--once found him asleep behind the wheel of a parked vehicle. She asked him why he was working so hard.

He laughed and told her he was trying to get to her level.

Silver Spring fire victims get financial recovery help

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

Early report on deadly Silver Spring blast coming soon, feds tell county officials

http://wtop.com/montgomery-county/2016/09/early-report-deadly-silver-spring-blast-coming-soon-feds-tell-county-officials/

Federal investigators will soon provide the first indication of what caused a natural gas explosion that sparked the deadly blaze at a Silver Spring apartment complex last month that killed seven people.

The National Transportation Safety Board plans to issue a preliminary report within the next week or two detailing the probable cause of the blast at the Flower Branch Apartments, an agency official told members of the Montgomery County Council, which met Tuesday to discuss the county’s response to the massive blaze.

“We’re not determining fault or liability; it’s a safety investigation,” Sledzik said of the preliminary report.

The agency isn’t expected to publish a final report for at least nine months. However, if investigators uncover “critical” safety issues, the agency can issue immediate recommendations, he added.

A little over a week ago, the seventh victim killed in the explosion was identified.

Final Victim Identified in Silver Spring Apartment Explosion

Roughly six weeks after a natural gas leak that caused a devastating explosion and fire at a Silver Spring apartment complex, the grim death toll was finalized Wednesday with the confirmation of the seventh and final victim found in the ruins, Montgomery County Police said.

Authorities have now identified the seven victims found in the debris of the apartment buildings at 8701 and 8703 Arliss Ave. DNA has been used to identify victims found in the burned-out apartment building. On Wednesday, investigators identified the last victim, Saeda Ibrahim, 40.

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

Silver Spring explosion victims sue Washington Gas, complex management

http://wtop.com/montgomery-county/2016/11/major-announcement-expected-silver-spring-explosion-victims/

The group CASA, which advocates for low-income women, workers and tenants, announced two lawsuits against Washington Gas and Kay Apartment Communities at about 10 a.m. in front of the offices of Washington Gas, in D.C.

Two suits have been filed in D.C. Superior Court: A personal-injury and wrongful-death lawsuit on behalf of 30 plaintiffs — relatives of those killed, and the people who were hurt — and a class-action suit involving members of 75 households who were affected by the explosion.

Gustavo Torres, executive director of CASA, said that the victims were looking for compensation, but that money wasn’t the only issue.

“Seven people died, but no one is saying who is responsible,” Torres said. “Neither the state, nor the county, nor the federal government, has stepped forward to give the victims the answers they are entitled to.”

No dollar amount is specifically stated in the lawsuit, said John Barrett, a lawyer with the law firm Bailey & Glasser, one of two firms partnering with CASA to pursue legal action on behalf of the victims.

He said lawyers and residents have asked for information from government agencies and Washington Gas since August.

“They have delayed and danced around our demands long enough.”

 

[JusticeWillBeServed]

1 year after horrific Silver Spring explosion, victims still in shock, rebuilding lives

“We will always remember that day,” said Montgomery County Fire Chief Scott Goldstein.

“I can’t fathom the facts of sleeping, waking up and then totally having everything that was in your apartment gone.”

Many of the victims joined lawsuits against Washington Gas and the property management company Kay Apartment Communities, but they are still seeking closure. Their litigation is moving slowly. Questions about what caused the gas leak and explosion are still without answers.

A Year After Silver Spring Explosion, County's Shortcomings Prompt Change

County officials have spent the past year examining where they fell short in the aftermath of the disaster that killed seven people -- including two children -- and hurt almost 40 other people. The County Council passed a stalled landlord-tenant bill, which created tenant advocates in the Consumer Protection Office, and added inspectors to the Housing Department.

The county's internal auditor examined the response to the Flower Branch disaster and made 14 recommendations to the county, including that communication must be improved.

http://www.wusa9.com/news/local/silver-spring/an-emotional-one-year-after-flower-branch/463286792

The explosion threw 33-year-old Memar Demeke out of a second story apartment on August 10, 2016. He had burns and a shattered knee. Someone stopped to help, but Demeke says they ran away when they heard a second explosion.

Then, without hesitation, a Montgomery County Police Officer spotted Demeke, picked him up and carried him to safety. It took one year for the two to finally meet again, and when they did, it looked like Demeke didn’t want to let go.

You could hear the two as they hugged.

“Thank you so much. Thank you. I’m just glad that you made it out. Thank you. Thank you, thank you so much. Love you so much," said Demeke.