Two People Taken To Hospitals After House Explodes In Montgomery County

Fire officials say the cause was propane.

Photos from the Laytonsville District Volunteer Fire Department Facebook page.

Laytonsville, Md (KM) Two people were taken to area hospitals following a building explosion in Laytonsville Tuesday morning.

Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Chief Scott Goldstein says units were dispatched to the 23600 block of Laytonsville Road at around 8:00 AM for an explosion, and found a house partially collapsed. “Crews arrived and located one occupant inside the structure who needed to be assisted and rescued out of that location,” Goldstein says. “He was transported by Maryland State Police Aviation to a trauma center with life-threatening injuries.”

The Chief says two other people were found outside the building. One was taken by ambulance to an area hospital with life-threatening injuries. The other person refused medical treatment.

The house is used as a company headquarters for Ruppert Landscaping.

Montgomery County Fire Officials say propane is the cause of the explosion. “Early indication is that people arrived at about 7:00 {AM}  into the structure, smelled gas, notified the utility provider, notified their staff to stay away from the building,” says Chief Goldstein. “That utility provider had arrived on scene and was here at the time of the explosion.”

The house is located in a rural area near the small Davis Airport. There are few homes in the immediate area.

The Associated Press reports social media pictures from the scene show windows blown out, and a wall and siding thrust away from the house, along with debris scattered on the lawn.

By Kevin McManus