Silver Spring Apartment Explosion: Some Residents Unaccounted For

SILVER SPRING, MD — Several people are still unaccounted for after an explosion in a Silver Spring apartment building Thursday morning. The exact number is not known, said fire investigators.

"Our focus is to remain here until everyone is accounted for," said Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Chief Scott Goldstein at a news conference Thursday afternoon.

Residents in two buildings next to the apartment building that collapsed are displaced, said Goldstein. Fire and Rescue is aiming to get those residents back into their buildings tonight to retrieve any essential items before they shelter elsewhere.

Throughout Thursday afternoon, fencing will be put up around the collapsed building area, he said. They are taking images of where the building was via a drone.

Fire and Rescue was called in around 10:30 a.m. for reports of a fire and explosion at an apartment on Lyttonsville Road in Silver Spring, said Piringer. Crews worked to find and evacuate residents of the building, Goldstein said in a news conference outside of the building.

More than a dozen people were taken to local hospitals and some had major injuries, Goldstein said. One of Piringer's earlier tweets said there were casualties, but the chief only named injuries.

The building collapsed, said Piringer.

Gov. Larry Hogan said his office is in contact with Montgomery County officials and state emergency agencies have offered to help respond to the fire and explosion.

"Please keep all those involved, including our first responders, in your prayers," Hogan tweeted.

Pablo Deleon, 21, told The Washington Post he was sleeping in his apartment in another building when he heard the explosion about 11:10 a.m.

“It was just mass hysteria, giant, giant flames,” he told the Post of the view as he left his apartment.

Officials on-scene said it is too early to determine what caused the explosion.

"We are working through a wide range of concerns and possibilities," said Goldstein. "Our focus is on lifesaving at this time."

The explosion may remind area residents of the 2016 natural gas explosion at a Silver Spring apartment complex killed seven people. Residents suffered from burn injuries and broken bones from trying to jump out of windows. In 2019 the families of the victims reached a settlement with Washington Gas. The company did not disclose the amount at the time.

The Flower Branch Act now requires gas companies to plan to relocate gas regulators so they are outside multifamily residences, and plans had to be filed with the Public Service Commission by Jan. 1, 2022.

Goldstein said there has not been a call for a gas leak on the block since at least Jan. 1, 2021, WTOP reported.

This story has been updated.

See how you can help the fire's victims here.