The following is an update to a story that I posted earlier regarding an explosion at a high-rise apartment building in Washington, D.C.:
100+ Displaced After Explosion in High Rise (Updated 1/13/05)
WASHINGTON - Investigators believe a build-up of natural gas is what led to the deadly blast and fire at an 11-story high rise in Southeast.
But they say they may never know exactly what led up to the explosion that left more than 100 people displaced Wednesday morning at the Marbury Plaza Apartments in the 2,300 block of Good Hope Road, SE.
"There was a tremendous explosion inside this building. It has obliterated three or four apartments. It has obliterated a laundry room," says D.C. Fire and EMS spokesman Alan Etter. Etter also says it's impossible at this point to say whether thieves trying to steal money out of the washers and dryers tampered with the gas lines.
An 18-month-old girl died and her mother was critically burned in the blaze that is believed to have started on the second floor. A firefighter also was injured when he fell down an elevator shaft.
At one point, about 1,200 people were evacuated from the building. Five people were taken to the hospital and 20 were treated on the scene.
