January 23, 2008
Natural Gas Accident Overnight
WJLA reported this morning on a big explosion at a Northeast apartment complex due to a natural gas leak.
Witnesses said they heard a boom and then saw the explosion about 1:25 a.m. in the 4300 block of Dix Street, NE. Amazingly, no one was injured, but the explosion blew out windows and doors in the building, as you can see to the left.
The Post also reported on this story, adding another incident from last night involving two Southeast residents now being treated for carbon monoxide poisoning due to a faulty furnace.
As much as I complain about not having a gas range in my kitchen (those electric stove tops just don't cook things right), the money my roommate and I save on heating and stories like these make me feel a good deal better about not having natural gas in my house. A fire department spokesperson told the Post that these two incidents should serve as a reminder for people to have their furnaces checked, obtain carbon monoxide detectors and to be vigilant about possible gas leaks.
Image courtesy WJLA
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"Witnesses said they heard a boom and then saw the explosion about 1:25 a.m."
This just in.. laws of physics rewritten in NE DC!
Electric heat is terribly inefficient.
When I was twelve and living in Baltimore, the rowhouse behind mine exploded due to a gas stove malfunction. It took out that house, the one next door and blew out doors and windows all along our street, including bending a steel door in our garage. I've used gas stoves since, but I'm incredibly paranoid about them and I don't think I could ever live in a place that has them again. Even knowing that an accident like that one is so incredibly rare, the feeling of terror every time I turn on a burner is too much for me.
The only thing electric stoves are good for is heating up Chinsey Pop Popcorn and Campbell's Cream of Failure Soup for One while you're waiting around to die. I'll risk the occasional catastrophic gasline failure for properly prepared foods, thank you very much. Besides, you can't get to heaven if you don't die.
plus, sommer, if you had gas, you'd most likely have to deal with the problems that mr. ray is always ranting (understandably) about...
Living your life in fear of a rare catastrophe isn't a way to live.
Living like that reminds me of the Alanis Morrisette (wrongly titled) song, Ironic.
Gotta agree with Monkey. I grew up with an electric stove, because the gas lines wouldn't run out to our house, and I'd much rather take my chances than deal with that ever again.
Quite an experience to live in fear, isn't it? That's what it is to be a slave.
I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the darkness at Tannhäuser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time like tears in rain.
Time to die.
"Natural gas" is funny words. Heh.
According to DCFD it was also a gas-leak issue that burned down JP's the other morning...
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