Natural Gas Explosion: BGE Finds No Problem With Columbia Mains

COLUMBIA, MD — Repeated tests do not show problems with natural gas mains leading to a Columbia office building that exploded Sunday morning, utility officials said. The Lakeside Office building in the 8800 block of Stanford Boulevard is at risk of collapse after a gas explosion rocked Columbia, according to authorities. Nobody was injured in incident, and investigators are trying to determine what caused the explosion felt for miles.

Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services officials said they were called to the building before the natural gas explosion occurred. They were dispatched before 7 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 25, because a fire alarm was going off at a building. While crews were on the way there, officials said they learned there was a gas leak in the parking lot. After finding what appeared to be a crater that was 10 feet long and a few inches wide with gas leaking out of it, authorities evacuated the area, and called BGE. The explosion happened just before 8 a.m. inside the building, according to fire officials.

Columbia Patch readers reported hearing a "loud boom" that shook houses and could be felt from Owen Brown to Jessup to Kings Contrivance.

On Monday, Aug. 26, business owners were able to go inside the heavily damaged building to retrieve important belongings. Some business owners are attempting to run their businesses remotely, like Tim Berry, owner of Blend 360, until they can find a second location.

The explosion has damaged businesses economically, too. Rohit Chawle, the owner of Mango Grove restaurant, told WBAL that he's losing up to $4,000 per day while closed.

"There is no business as of now, and plus, I'm also feeling bad for my employees they're out of work," Chawle said.

The entire building will remain closed until officials say it's safe. Business owners are hoping that comes sooner rather than later.

"We're hoping we will rebuild and be back in business soon," Chawle said.

The Ascend One building nearby, at 8930 Stanford Boulevard, had minor damage, according to Howard County government. Tenants at the building where the explosion occurred include the Columbia Social Security office, Clothes Mentor and Krav Maga Maryland, among others.

"Due to the gas explosion at our plaza, we are currently closed," Clothes Mentor posted on its Facebook page Sunday. "The store will need significant repairs."

Fellow tenant Krav Maga Maryland reported a structural engineer would be required to assess the Lakeside Office building before anyone could go inside. Its staff received offers from other studios to use their space, and it plans to host pop-up trainings for its participants around the area.

"I have mobilized our team from the Howard County Economic Development Authority to assist those businesses and workers who may find themselves displaced by this event," said Howard County Executive Calvin Ball. He noted the explosion "rocked Columbia" and described it as "so powerful it could be heard in communities many miles away."

Said Ball: "We will do everything possible to minimize the impact of this explosion those who are affected by it."

After Sunday's explosion, the governor also pledged his support in the investigation.

"We are grateful to Howard County first responders for being on the scene in minutes," Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan said in a statement. "Our Maryland Joint Operations Center and the State Fire Marshal have offered their full support and assistance as we work to determine the cause of this explosion."

Widespread power outages were reported in the area of Stanford Boulevard and McGaw Road, according to fire and rescue personnel, who said building alarms were going off in the vicinity as well. BGE was reporting about more than 20 customers in Howard County had their power out after 10:45 p.m., mostly off Stanford Boulevard near Dobbin and McGaw roads.

Stanford Boulevard was closed at McGaw Road as BGE and Howard County fire and rescue crews responded to the explosion, police reported.

BGE said in a statement Sunday evening that they could not find any issues with the gas equipment.

“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.”

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