Apartment Explosion: Benefit Fillmore Concert Canceled

SILVER SPRING, MD — A Flower Branch Fire Benefit weekend concert planned for The Fillmore in Silver Spring to help the families affected by the explosion and fire that killed seven people last month at the Flower Branch Apartments has been canceled. There was no explanation for the change in plans; the benefit was to feature Rare Essence, Ethan Spalding, and Paperhaus.

On The Fillmore's website Wednesday the cancelation was posted with this note: "We are very disheartened to say that unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances, the concert to benefit the Flower Branch Apartments community will be canceled. We continue to keep the victims of the fire in our thoughts and prayers. The Fillmore Silver Spring will be making a donation directly to the Montgomery Housing Partnership to aid in the relief efforts."

More than $600,000 has been donated to the victims through the Montgomery Housing Partnership; the money has helped with food, clothing and burial expenses. The Long Branch Fire Fund is scheduled to close on Saturday, Sept. 17.

Financial contributions may be made before Sept. 17 at www.mhpartners.org or by mailing a check postmarked on or before Sept. 17 to MHP, 12200 Tech Road, Suite 250, Silver Spring, MD 20904 with “Long Branch Fire” in the memo.

After Sept. 17, the fund will be closed and the remaining money will be distributed to the families affected by the fire as a final disbursement. If you would like to donate to the Long Branch Fire Fund, you have until Sept. 17 to make a donation. You can find more information here.

SEE ALSO:

• Natural Gas Blast Led to Maryland Apartment Fire, 3 Bodies Identified
• Maryland Apartment Explosion: 7th Body Found; Cause Could Be Known By End of Week
• Maryland Apartment Blast: 'I Think I Lost a Friend'
• Maryland Apartment Explosion: 2 Dead, 32 Injured, Others Missing [UPDATED]
• How to Help Victims of Maryland Apartment Fire

Along with the fatalities, other residents suffered injuries and 55 families were displaced by the disaster that leveled two buildings and damaged others nearby.

The president of the Montgomery Housing Partnership said recently that the community’s response has been immense.

“I am personally thankful to each and every individual and business that went out of their way to help these families. It was truly a humbling experience to see how much our community cares about our neighbors,” said Robert Goldman, president of the MHP, in a news release.

Investigators are still working to unravel what caused the Aug. 10 disaster at the apartments, but say the explosion was caused by a gas leak in the meter room of the building. Leaking gas built up in the room until the explosion was sparked. Federal investigators will look at the gas transmission equipment for possible defects.

Authorities say those killed in the explosion and fire are:

• Aseged Mekonen, 34,
• Deibi “David” Samir Lainez Morales, 8
• Fernando Josue Hernandez Orellana, 3
• Augusto Jimenez Sr., 62
• Maria Auxiliadorai Castellon-Martinez, 53
• Saul Paniagua, 65
• Saeda Ibrahim, 41.

After addressing some of the most immediate needs, including meals, document replacement, and car key replacement, the housing agency distributed the first round of money to the families recently to use based on their individual needs to get back on their feet. A portion of the fund is also being distributed as death benefits to family members of those who were killed.

»Flower Branch fire photo courtesy of Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services