Gas-Line Explosion in Prince George's County Leaves Hundreds Without Gas

An explosion shortly after 10 p.m. near Powder Mill Road and Cherry Hill Road in Beltsville sent one utility worker to the hospital and left at least 570 customers without gas, WUSA9 reported. Washington Gas crews remained on scene conducting repairs while officials worked to restore service to homes and businesses in the Beltsville/Calverton area.

Local reporting ties the late-night blast to daytime excavation: contractors repairing a water main Friday morning struck a nearby pipeline at about 10 a.m., WJLA reported, and Washington Gas later said “crews were repairing a damaged service line on Cherry Hill Road in Beltsville, MD.” WUSA9 added that the company had been repairing a 4-inch service line “that was damaged during excavation work by a third party” and that “during the repair process, gas that had been released was ignited by an unknown source.” The Washington Gas spokesperson did not identify the third party.

Emergency crews closed nearby roads and ordered residents to shelter in place as firefighters fought the blaze and cleared the scene, WJLA reported. Cameras captured downed and burning electrical lines; Pepco cut power to nearby electrical lines after some caught fire. Prince George’s County Fire officials told reporters, “There is no gas leak at this time since most of the flammable gas has burned off,” even as crews completed safety checks.

One person was transported to a hospital with serious but non-life-threatening burns and other injuries, WJLA and WUSA9 said; neither outlet identified the hospital or released the worker’s name. No deaths were reported. Local schools were put on alert because the scene is not far from High Point High School, and roads around the Powder Mill and Cherry Hill intersection remained restricted while utility crews worked.

The outage has affected residents and critical facilities: WUSA9 reported “at least 570 customers are currently being impacted,” and Washington Gas said, “As a precaution gas service has been shut off to the surrounding area as repairs and safety checks are being done.” Riderwood Senior Living Community received a temporary fuel supply to sustain essential operations during the outage, WUSA9 noted.

Timing and restoration estimates have varied across reports. FOX5 DC said officials hoped to reconnect service “within 48 hours” as temperatures dropped, while WUSA9 and WJLA described crews still working two to four days after the explosion. Investigations remain open: the identity of the third party that damaged the 4-inch line and the precise ignition source have not been released, and Washington Gas has not confirmed a final customer count beyond the WUSA9 figure.

Crews from Washington Gas and Pepco continued repairs and safety checks in the Beltsville area as officials balanced restoration with inspections; the final restoration timeline will depend on the outcome of those checks and the ongoing investigation into the excavation damage and ignition.