In Bel Air, Maryland, a tragic home explosion resulted in the loss of two lives following reports of a gas smell from neighbors the night before the incident. While the State Fire Marshal’s office initially had no record of any gas smell reports, it was later confirmed that a neighbor, Carline Fisher, had indeed contacted Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE) at 8:24 p.m. on Saturday, reporting the smell.
The homeowner, Ray Corkran, and a BGE contractor, Jose Rodriguez-Alvarado, lost their lives in the explosion that occurred the following morning. Fisher mentioned to The Baltimore Sun that she immediately noticed the gas smell around 8 p.m. while walking her dogs near Corkran’s house, which is about a third of a mile away.
The investigation into the incident has involved various agencies, including the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). While a BGE spokesperson declined to comment due to the ongoing investigation, the NTSB is actively looking into how BGE handled the report of the gas smell on Saturday night.
Initially, the State Fire Marshal’s office had indicated no reports of a gas odor on the night before the explosion. However, upon further investigation, it was revealed that Fisher had indeed reported the smell to BGE. There was potential confusion regarding BGE’s presence in the neighborhood that night due to a truck being dispatched for an electrical issue at Corkran’s residence.
The NTSB’s investigation is ongoing, with a preliminary report expected to be released in approximately 30 days. The team continues to work on the scene to uncover more details surrounding the devastating explosion in Bel Air.
