Updated July 17, 2026 (3:30PM CST): A gas explosion leveled a house in Bel Air, Maryland, over the weekend, claiming the lives of two people and injuring one. Fire investigators suspect a gas leak caused the house on the 2300 block of Arthur Woods Drive to explode. The homeowner, a 73-year-old man who uses a wheelchair, was preparing to meet with a realtor to put his house up for sale before the explosion.
A Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE) crew was on the scene to investigate an electrical event reported the night before the explosion. Before the BGE crew arrived, fire crews were dispatched to investigate a gas leak reported by a Hartford County Public Works worker.
The homeowner, 73-year-old Ray Corkran Jr., and a BGE contractor, 35-year-old Jose Rodriguez-Alvarado, died in the explosion. A woman who lived in a neighboring house was injured and treated at the scene.
Debris from the house explosion landed nearly a half mile away. Several neighboring homes were damaged, and 12 families have been displaced. The Hartford County Department for Emergency Services opened a hotline for residents to report information relating to the explosion.
NTSB Final Report (July 2026)
In July 2026, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) found that Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE) and its parent company, Exelon, failed to respond effectively to multiple reports of a suspected natural gas leak before the Bel Air house explosion. The leak remained unrepaired for more than 10 hours, despite four people reporting a gas odor.
CBS News reported that the NTSB’s investigation determined that natural gas escaped from a service line, migrated into the home, and ignited, killing the homeowner and a BGE contractor.
Investigators also found that a county worker’s calls about the suspected leak went unanswered because an on-call dispatch agent had been drinking and fell asleep at his desk during an overtime shift.
Can I Sue the Gas Company After a House Explosion?
Yes, in some cases. When a utility company, gas contractor, or another responsible party fails to respond appropriately to a reported gas leak or otherwise acts negligently, it may be held liable for injuries and deaths resulting from a natural gas explosion.
The NTSB’s final report on the Bel Air, Maryland, house explosion illustrates how utility companies may face scrutiny following a natural gas explosion. Investigators concluded that ineffective responses to multiple reports of a suspected gas leak allowed natural gas to accumulate inside the home before the explosion. The NTSB found that the explosion likely would not have occurred had the suspected leak been effectively investigated and addressed.
Every gas explosion is different. Liability may involve a natural gas utility, gas contractor, pipeline company, property owner, equipment manufacturer, or another responsible party.
An experienced gas explosion lawyer can investigate the cause of the explosion, preserve critical evidence, work with engineering experts, and identify all potentially liable parties.
House Explosion Lawsuit Information
If you or a loved one was injured or killed in a house explosion, you may be able to sue the wrongdoers who caused you harm. While no amount of money could ever make up for your family’s loss, pursuing legal action through an explosion wrongful death lawsuit can offer a measure of justice and financial support during this difficult time.
An experienced explosion lawyer will conduct a cause and origin investigation to determine the cause of the explosion and identify responsible parties, which may include:
- Gas company
- Propane company that serviced your propane tank before it exploded
- Landlord
- Construction company
- Contractor or subcontractor
- Component manufacturer
- Maintenance company
- Installation company
- City, county, or state
It is important to consult with an attorney about your case as soon as possible, because laws called statutes of limitations, which vary by state, may limit the amount of time you have to file a claim.
Contact us for a no-cost consultation with an attorney
The Pritzker Hageman Law Firm
Call: 1-888-377-8900
Text: 612-261-0856
About the Pritzker Hageman Burn Injury Legal Team
Pritzker Hageman is one of the few law firms in the country with experience representing burn survivors and their families in house explosion lawsuits nationwide. Our explosion lawyers have gone up against big gas companies to win hundreds of millions of dollars for our clients. Pritzker Hageman supports the burn survivor community by partnering with the Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors and our attorneys have been active members of the American Burn Association.
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