Natural Gas Caused Explosion At Silver Spring Apartment Complex Last Week

By Heather Curtis
WMAL.com

WASHINGTON — (WMAL) Investigators confirmed Friday what many residents of the Flower Branch Apartments in Silver Spring suspected all along – it was a natural gas explosion that caused the fire that killed seven people on Aug. 10.

The explosion happened in the meter room of building 8701, which was located above apartment 101.

“At this point in time in the investigation, there is no indication that a criminal act occurred. There was no incendiary or ignition device recovered in the location of the blast seat, or the blast location, and there is no indication of unauthorized access to the meter room prior to the explosion,” Daniel Board with the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives said at a press conference Friday.

The next step in the investigation is figuring out what ignited the explosion. The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation since it has jurisdiction over all modes of transit, and the pipelines that carry natural gas are considered a mode of transit.

The NTSB started its investigation Thursday with the goal of issuing a report in less than a year. That investigation will not assign blame. Lead investigator Ravi Chhatre said the purpose of it is to figure out the cause of the explosion and make recommendations to prevent similar incidents in the future.

As that investigation moves forward, the state medical examiner continues to identify the remains of seven victims found in the rubble. So far, three bodies have been identified: 62-year-old Augusto Jimenez Sr., 53-year-old Maria Auxiliadorai Castellon-Martinez, and 65-year-old Saul Paniagua.

The other four bodies are believed to be 3-year-old Fernando Josue Hernandez Orellana, 8-year-old Deibi “David” Sami Lainez Morales, 34-year-old Aseged Mekonen, and 41-year-old Saeda Ibrahim.

Aseged Mekonen’s cousin, who didn’t give his name, described the wait for an identification as “very agonizing.”

“I just don’t understand. We provide DNA evidence, I mean DNA sample for about five days ago, and they didn’t tell us nothing yet. I was here to arrange to get the body, ” the man said fighting back tears as his young son cried silently beside him.

Acting Montgomery County Police Chief Russ Hamill said they know the wait is taking a daily and unimaginable toll on the families.

“Unfortunately, when we talk about the science involved in identification, there’s no quick solution,” Hamill said.

He said the specific scientific processes used to make the identifications can’t be rushed. Hamill didn’t know how long it would take to positively identify the four remaining bodies.