TAKOMA PARK, MD – Mike Tidwell, Director of CCAN Action Fund, released the following statement about yesterday’s methane gas explosion in a Gaithersburg condo, which left a dozen injured and destroyed homes:
“Methane gas is a dangerous fuel to use in our homes and commercial buildings, and the tragic explosion in Gaithersburg yesterday is a stark reminder of the damage that gas explosions cause. This is by no means the first gas explosion in our county. There were two in Silver Spring in recent years, including the Flower Branch apartment explosion that killed seven people – two of them children. Between 2010 and 2020, a gas accident that caused major damage, injury, or deaths occurred roughly every other day in the U.S. These methane explosions have caused hundreds of deaths and billions of dollars in damages in the past decade alone.
“It’s time to move away from methane as a fuel for space and water heating. Montgomery County must act now to move to an all-electric future. Legislation pending in the Montgomery County Council, Bill 13-22, would be a major step forward toward that goal by establishing an all-electric code for future construction. Our safety and health will benefit from a move to all-electric buildings, and we will be doing our part to address climate change. The legislation has been considered, amended, unanimously approved, and recommended for full Council consideration by a Council committee. We urge Council President Albornoz to schedule a vote on this critically important legislation and for the Council to approve it before the end of this month.”
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CCAN Action Fund is the advocacy arm of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, the oldest and largest grassroots organization dedicated exclusively to raising awareness about the impacts and solutions associated with global warming in the Chesapeake Bay region. For 20 years, CCAN has been at the center of the fight for clean energy and wise climate policy in Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and Washington, D.C.
