By WMAL.com, Heather Curtis
UPDATE: 3 p.m. March 4
There’s still no word yet on what caused the explosion at the Friendly Garden Apartments on Friday, but Montgomery County Fire Chief Scott Goldstein said a cut gas pipe was found in the basement. They’re trying to find the source of ignition. One theory being explored is that a building maintenance worker who was fixing a plumbing problem in the building cut the gas pipe.
“Too early for me to be able to say if it’s accidental cut of a gas pipe,” Goldstein said.
Since 2013, Goldstein said there were only two gas leaks in the complex. The building did not have a mercury gas regulator like the one that was blamed for an explosion at the Flower Branch Apartments in Silver Spring in 2016.
Goldstein said there are no reports of missing people, but a dog that detects human remains has picked up on something.
“We continue to operate under the belief that there is somebody in that area that the dog is alerting on and to continue to work to find that person,” Goldstein said.
He said the dog may be detecting human smell on clothing, but they won’t know for sure until they have removed all of the debris.
Of the 14 people taken to the hospital after the blast, seven have been sent home. Three of the seven people still in the hospital are in critical condition, including a child.
SILVER SPRING, MD – March 4, 2022 — An explosion and subsequent fire rocked the Friendly Garden Apartments in Silver Spring, MD on March 3, 2022. The blast leveled a section of the garden style apartments located on Lyttonsville Road in the area between Brookeville Road and East-West Highway.
Making Home Possible has set up THIS LINK to accept donations where 100 % of the proceeds will be given to the families impacted by the fire. White Oak Recreation Center will serve as an emergency shelter.
Response efforts to the devastating apartment building fire in Silver Spring are ongoing. Officials will provide another update tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. (March 4).
If you are interested in making a donation to help those impacted, please visit ➡️ https://t.co/5whT3hhgkH. pic.twitter.com/sUUsXaaBoj
— Montgomery County MD (@MontgomeryCoMD) March 3, 2022
White Oak Rec. Center is serving as emergency shelter. Today’s senior activities & meals will be moved to the Schweinhaut Senior Center. Tomorrow’s basketball games moved to Praisner CRC. Club Adventure to meet as scheduled. More info. at https://t.co/9AlA1qzZzC pic.twitter.com/iLacHnaF9H
— MoCo Rec (@MoCoRec) March 4, 2022
Search efforts continue to ensure no visitors have been trapped in the rubble, but officials said all residents have been accounted for on Friday. Fourteen people were reported injured and over 200 people have been displaced as a result of the fire, explosion, and subsequent damage.
*Updates will be made as they are available to the below reports*
WMAL.com’s Heather Curtis joins The Vince Coglianese Show to report LIVE from the scene – Mar. 3, 2022.
