Sixth Body Found, of Seven Missing From Montgomery County Apartment Explosion

Police said they believe the victims are among seven people who remain unaccounted for

What to Know

  • Police said a fifth victim was found on Sunday.
  • Officials said the search for more victims has been slowed by the unstable condition of the building, as well as extreme heat conditions.
  • The explosion and fire on Aug. 11 injured 31 residents.

A sixth body has been found in the rubble of an explosion and fire at an apartment building in Silver Spring, Maryland, Montgomery County officials said.

The sixth victim was found Monday.

Police believe the six victims are among seven men, women and children who were presumed to be in the apartment building at the time of the blast. But officials have not been able to positively identify the bodies.

The missing have been identified as Saeda Ibrahim, 41; Augusto Jimenez Sr., age 62; Maria Auxiliadorai Castellon-Martinez, age 53; Aseged Mekonen, age 34; Deibi “David” Samir Lainez Morales, age 8; Fernando Josue Hernandez Orellana, age 3; and Saul Paniagua, age 65.

Police previously released the name of an eighth person who they believed was missing, but that man has since come forward. He had moved out of the building before the explosion and fire.

The search for more victims was slowed by the unstable condition of the building, as well as the extreme heat conditions, officials said, but the building has been shored up.

The explosion and fire injured 31 residents. Three firefighters were also hurt battling the blaze.

The blast at the Flower Branch Apartments in the 8700 block of Arliss Street occurred around 11:50 p.m. Wednesday night. Residents reported smelling gas before the explosion, and officials responded to calls for a potential gas leak at the complex on July 25.

The cause of the explosion and fire is still under investigation.

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