Massive gas explosion in Maryland destroys office complex and shopping center
Around 7 a.m. on Sunday, August 25, officials in Howard County, Maryland were receiving calls about a gas leak at an office complex and shopping center on Stanford Boulevard in Columbia, Maryland. Firefighters and paramedics helped evacuate that building and the surrounding area. Around 8 a.m., that building exploded, according to CNN.
The explosion could be heard miles away and was felt about one mile away.
“It was loud! The whole house shook!” Kristin Wright, who lives less than a mile from the explosion.
Officials are also reporting widespread power outages due to the explosion and have closed surrounding roads. About 30 Baltimore Gas and Electric customers were impacted by the outage, WTOP reported.
“I just got up took my shower was going downstairs to eat my breakfast and I heard a boom, it was really loud,” said neighbor Joel McDonald, per CBS News in Baltimore.
Maryland Governor Larry Hogan tweeted a statement regarding the explosion.
On Sunday night, Baltimore Gas & Electric (BGE) released a statement saying that they received a call from the Howard County Fire Department regarding the presence of a gas odor; “and while their crew member was on the site, the explosion occurred.”
“We have completed safety inspections of the area gas mains and surrounding buildings and have not found any issues with the gas equipment. Gas and electric service to the building remain off. Additionally, our records do not indicate any recent reports of gas odors from the location or in the past year.
As recently as July 2019 we performed a scheduled inspection of the gas main and equipment serving this area and found no issues. We are continuing to work closely with investigators to understand the cause of the incident.
Our thanks go to the prompt and skilled response by the Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services and responding BGE crew members who moved quickly to clear the area to a safe distance and terminate gas and electric service.
Their actions and the fortunate early morning weekend timing prevented a very serious incident from becoming worse. As always, immediate reporting of any gas odors or issues is critical to public safety.”
Fortunately, there were no injuries reported in that powerful explosion; although the office complex and shopping center appear to be totaled.
~ Written by Richard Webster, Ace News Today / Connect with Richard on Facebook and Twitter
