Updated Information on the Cause of the Fire and Explosion at Friendly Garden Apartments; Incident Being Classified as Accidental

Below are notes from today’s 3PM press conference with Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Cheif Scott Goldstein.

• A 1 ½ inch pipe was found cut in the basement of the apartment building. A building maintenance person was working on a clogged drain in apartment #101 and was using a “snake” tool to remove debris. The maintenance worker cut what he believed to be a drain pipe in the lower level of the building to remove the clog.  When the worker went back upstairs to #101, a flash fire occurred. The maintenance worked attended to the resident, who had been injured, and as they were leaving the building the significant explosion occurred. They were in the building’s stairwell at time.
• Event is being classified as accidental.
• They will not be able to determine the exact source or point of ignition.
• No additional K9 alerts since Friday. A glove was located that they believe was the source of a K9 alert for human remains.
• Fourteen injuries total from the event.
• As of this morning, 12 have been discharged. Two remain hospitalized, one in critical condition, and one from an unrelated medical issue.
• Montgomery County agencies will be turning the property back over to property management soon and MCFRS will no longer be on the site.
• All people remain accounted for, nobody concerned to be missing. No victims were located on the interior or exterior of the building.
• REMINDER: If you smell gas, immediately exit structure and dial 9-11.

You can view the full press conference below:

News briefing Friendly Garden Apts @MontgomeryCoMD https://t.co/aieVwRJtEt

— Pete Piringer (@mcfrsPIO) March 7, 2022