Final Victim Identified in Silver Spring Apartment Explosion

SILVER SPRING, MD — Roughly six weeks after a natural gas leak that caused a devastating explosion and fire at a Silver Spring apartment complex, the grim death toll was finalized Wednesday with the confirmation of the seventh and final victim found in the ruins, Montgomery County Police said.

Investigators are still working to unravel what caused the Aug. 10 disaster at the Flower Branch 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 have now identified the seven victims found in the debris of the apartment buildings at 8701 and 8703 Arliss Ave. DNA has been used to identify victims found in the burned-out apartment building. On Wednesday, investigators identified the last victim, Saeda Ibrahim, 40.

The other victims are:

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

SEE ALSO:

• Maryland Apartment Explosion: 7th Body Found; Cause Could Be Known By End of Week
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• Maryland Apartment Explosion: 2 Dead, 32 Injured, Others Missing [UPDATED]
• Maryland Apartment Explosion: 3rd Body Found, 5 Missing Identified, How to Help

Officials from the National Transportation Safety Board are leading the investigation into the cause of the explosion and fire at the apartments. An NTSB agent said it could take months to review all the evidence and determine exactly what went wrong.

A total of 28 apartment units were destroyed, and 50 families were displaced by the disaster. Dozens of residents were injured at the scene, some from burns and others from broken bones as they jumped from the third and fourth floors of the buildings.

Residents had raised the issue of the lingering smell of natural gas in the area, which the fire department and an ATF official said they are investigating.

The company that runs the apartment complex, Kay Apartment Communities, sent a photo of a meter room at the Flower Branch Apartments to Montgomery Community Media. It shows a meter bank inside a building similar to the rooms damaged or destroyed in the natural gas explosion with green tag shown in the photo reportedly noting a recent inspection of the pipes and meters by Washington Gas, according to Kay officials.

Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett said that a natural gas odor was reported on July 25. Firefighters responded to that complaint, could not verify the smell and left the scene. Federal investigators urged any residents who had noted gas leaks to contact the NTSB.

Assistance for Fire Victims
More than two dozen families left homeless by the fire now have other places to live as Montgomery County and state agencies worked with nonprofit organizations and officials at Kay Apartment Communities to find housing for about 55 households.

More than $600,000 was donated to the victims through the Montgomery Housing Partnership; the money has been disbursed to help pay for food, clothing and burial expenses.

»Flower Branch fire photos courtesy of Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services; photo of victims from Montgomery County Police