HARFORD COUNTY, Md. (WBFF) — Ten hours before a deadly explosion rocked a Bel Air community, neighbors had complained to BGE about strong odors of gas, but before a leak could be repaired, an eruption left two men dead.
The National Transportation Safety Board’s investigation blamed BGE for an “ineffective response” to the incident. The report said that just minutes before the explosion, a county worker smelled gas, heard a hissing sound and called BGE’s emergency call center, but multiple calls went unanswered.
According to the report, “The accident call-center agent told the NTSB that he had been drinking alcohol before his unscheduled shift and that he had fallen asleep at his desk.”
Del. Ryan Nawrocki, who sits on a House energy subcommittee, said he was alarmed by the findings and is calling for a meeting with BGE, which is currently asking for another round of rate hikes.
“When I saw the NTSB report I was horrified by it,” said Nawrocki.
ALSO READ | NTSB releases final report on 2024 Bel Air home explosion that killed two
He says the findings raise questions about BGE’s need for additional funding.. “If you’re paying more for a service you should be getting a better service. I don’t think you should pay more and get less,” said Nawrocki.
Emily Scarr, who leads the watchdog group Maryland PIRG, said the report points to broader issues at the utility.
“It seems like there’s systemic challenges at BGE that they need to address,” said Scarr.
Scarr accused BGE of failing to prioritize safety. “Instead we see the company continue to focus on replacing gas pipelines at a breakneck speed which is highly profitable but may not be making us safer,” said Scarr.
In a statement, BGE acknowledged a communication breakdown in the case, writing: “BGE had procedures in place intended to ensure suspected gas leaks were promptly escalated and investigated. In this case, those procedures were not followed as intended, resulting in missed opportunities to identify and address the hazard before the incident occurred.”
In Annapolis, some lawmakers are demanding more accountability. “We’ve got someone in an intoxicated state working there. It’s a bad situation all around and they need to account for this,” said Nawrocki.
Local Story
