Vigil To Mark 3-Year Anniversary Of Deadly Apartment Explosions

SILVER SPRING, MD — Survivors of the Flower Branch Apartment complex explosion are expected to hold a vigil Friday night in remembrance of those killed in the disaster three years ago.

On Aug. 10, 2016, a natural gas explosion ripped through the Silver Spring apartment complex and killed seven people, including two children. The community has rebuilt since then; but residents who were injured or displaced after the blast are still seeking justice.

The National Transportation Safety Board spent more than two years investigating the deadly incident. In April 2019, the agency announced it couldn't find the ignition source that sparked the deadly explosion, but determined the disaster was probably caused by a disconnected gas regulator. Washington Gas is the company responsible for maintaining the equipment for the apartment complex and has disputed the findings, according to the Associated Press.

Even with these finding, the NTSB's prolonged probe had stalled residents' lawsuits and drawn the ire of government officials and community organizations.

"Three years after the fatal explosion Flower Branch tenants deserve peace of mind; knowing that they will never again wake up to an inferno and that other families will not endure the same pain," said Gustavo Torres, the executive director at a Latino and immigrant advocacy group called CASA. "Our community needs to not just feel safe but be safe. Justice must be served for once and for all."

Before the explosion, residents had raised the issue of the lingering smell of natural gas in the area.

Adrian Boya said he smelled gas for weeks in the area.

"I called 911, they came and told us it smelled like incense," Boya told NBC Washington. "It's like they didn't take us seriously."

Then-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.

Less than a month later, Flower Branch Apartments was consumed by flames.

Firefighters raced to the scene around midnight, but had trouble communicating with tenants, since most of them spoke Spanish. Residents broke bones as they jumped from windows, while others suffered burn injuries, according to Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Chief Scott Goldstein said. Dozens were taken to area hospitals for treatment, including three firefighters who suffered from heat exhaustion.

The victims killed in the blast were:

• 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,
• Saeda Ibrahim, 40

Friday's vigil is set to be held at the site of the disaster at 7 p.m. The Flower Branch Apartment complex is located at 8658 Piney Branch Rd.

SEE ALSO:

• Maryland Apartment Explosion: 7th Body Found; Cause Could Be Known By End of Week
• Vigil To Mark 1-Year Anniversary Of Flower Branch Apartments Explosion
• Judge Slams NTSB For Slow Probe Into Deadly Apartment Explosions
• NTSB Sets Hearing On Cause Of 2016 Deadly Apartment Explosions
• NTSB Blames Faulty Equipment For 2016 Deadly Apartment Explosion