A massive explosion rippled through Baltimore in the northwest neighborhood near Reisterstown Road Plaza yesterday morning, leaving two people dead — one woman and one man found under rubbles just before 1 a.m on Tuesday — and seven people seriously injured. With three homes destroyed, this catastrophic episode rendered victims and their families homeless for now. As officials investigate the cause, rescue efforts continue up until now in search of any remaining individuals who might be trapped under the heap of debris.
“This is an unusual thing to happen. A lot of houses have been destroyed and a lot of windows have been shattered in this community,” said Baltimore mayor Jack Young in a news conference.
Investigators from the Public Service Commission suspect natural gas to be the cause of this abrupt eruption. Baltimore utility spokeswoman, Linda Foy, announced that workers will be shutting down nearby gas services around the neighborhood before determining the cause of this explosion; but until then, identifying the situation can take up to months of investigation. However, the Baltimore Gas and Electric Co. (BGE) spokeswoman, Tasha Jamerson, released a statement denoting that there were no found leaks in the gas mains from the most recent inspection back in June 2019, nor were there any complaints of gas odor from residents.
“No gas odors were reported prior to this morning’s event and BGE did not receive any recent gas odor calls from the block of homes that were damaged,” the BGE wrote. “BGE’s most recent inspection of the gas mains and services in the area occurred in June and July of 2019 and did not identify any leaks,” they continued.
Galvanized gray metal pipes were common and popular back in the mid-1900s and can last up to 40 years. However, the galvanized coating is prone to flaking, which makes the pipe vulnerable to rust and leaks through age. Between 2009 and 2016, the Baltimore Sun reported leaks to have increased by 75%. As one of the oldest gas companies in the country, the BGE has been working to replace pipes from the 1950s and 1960s, but that alone can take a staggering 20 years, the Sun also reported.
“I want everybody in this city to rally around those individuals that are still fighting for their lives,” City Council President Brandon M. Scott echoed at a press conference. “I need the entire city right now to focus on hopeful prayers to those individuals who were impacted by this.”
Red Cross volunteers are providing with food and water while helping residents find a temporary shelter to stay. Against the hot and humid weather, community residents trail alongside firefighters to trace the premises for any bodies under the pile of rubbles and possibly assist any victims who were affected by this explosion.
