Skip to main content

Washington Gas provides update after large explosion near Beltsville senior facility

Washington Gas has made “significant progress” toward restoring service to a Beltsville, Maryland, neighborhood where a large gas explosion injured one person and brought down a power line Friday night, the utility company said Monday.

In a statement to WTOP, a spokesperson said crews are “nearing the final stages” of the work, including returning gas service to nearby businesses, schools and apartment buildings.

Washington Gas is also in the process of moving the nearby Riderwood Senior Living Community from a temporary fuel supply that was set up over the weekend “back to system gas.”

About 570 customers were affected by the gas explosion and subsequent stripping of gas service. Washington Gas said Tuesday that 55% of those customers have had their service reconnected.

Crews were working on a gas leak in the area near Powder Mill Road and Cherry Hill Road when the explosion happened Friday night.

One person was taken to the hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries, officials said.

The fire lasted for hours and was finally extinguished around 1 a.m. Saturday.

Most Potomac River advisories lifted, but officials say keep avoiding these areas after sewage spill

Most areas of the Potomac River that run along Virginia and Maryland have been deemed safe for recreational activities, but advisories remain in certain spots after hundreds of millions of gallons of raw sewage flowed into the river in January due to the failure of a sewer line. The Maryland Department of Health announced Thursday that recreational water advisories for the river have been lifted in Prince George's and Charles counties, but the advisory in Montgomery County remains. There is still no advisory necessary in St. Mary's County as it is "outside the plume area."
Read Next Story