WASHINGTON — A car crash led to a gas explosion in Anacostia Thursday afternoon, destroying a building and leaving one person injured after being hit by flying debris.
People who were near the explosion said everything unfolded so fast.
“All I heard was a boom and, ask anybody else I started running,” witness, Anthony Wigglesworth said.
Wigglesworth describes the chaotic scene when the explosion happened.
“I look back and all I can see is this big black ball of smoke,” Wigglesworth said.
He said he ran for his life.
“The windows, debris and everything just exploded everywhere and people was frantic. Some people were running and in a shock and aw moment,” the owner of a nearby restaurant, Darrell Gaston said.
Gaston said he was one of the many people evacuated from the buildings on Marion Barry Avenue before the explosion.
Everyone around said they are thankful that no one was seriously hurt but people who work in historic Anacostia said they have smelt a gas odor for over a year.
“We've been smelling the gas on and off for a year on this block right here,” agreed Ronald Moten, who has property around the corner.
They said Washington Gas and DC Fire and EMS would come out when they called in the past about the smell to do an air bubble test but said nothing else happened.
It’s the middle of restaurant week so the owner of Kitchen Savage was expecting a lot of customers but now he’s not sure when his business will reopen.
“Hopefully they can get it contained and we can open back up,” said the owner of Kitchen Savage, Darrell Gaston. His business was just two doors down from the explosion.
Just after the restaurant’s first anniversary on January 7, it’s unclear when they will open their doors again.
“The windows, debris and everything just exploded everywhere and people was frantic some people were running and in a shock and aw moment,” Gaston said.
The aftermath of the explosion has left his business along with others in the area without gas or power hours after the incident.
“If the power isn’t on within four hours then it’s thousands of dollars worth of food going to waste,” Gaston said.
His power along with others on the block has been cut along with the gas but he’s focused on trying to reopen sooner rather than later.
“Hopefully we can open tomorrow and serve customers,” Gaston said.
Fire and EMS said 18 customers are without power and the damage done to each business and build varies. Gaston said he was told the gas won’t be cut on for his business for the rest of the week.
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