Tuesday, March 26, 2019

What was that explosion in downtown Bethesda Sunday morning?

Updated 3/27/19: This article has been updated to clarify the explosion was heard by witnesses at the 7900 Wisconsin Avenue construction site.

Some downtown Bethesda residents heard an explosion around 7:30 AM Sunday morning. A large cloud of white smoke was seen rising from a trailer at the 7900 Wisconsin Avenue construction site. What was it? Now, it can be told.

A source reports that a Pepco electrical cabinet exploded, causing a small fire. This cut electrical power to the construction site, which reportedly remained without power Monday morning. By yesterday afternoon, a generator was transported to the site to provide power. Pepco and the construction contractor will meanwhile continue working to restore electricity to the site, the source reports.

In other 7900 Wisconsin news, watch for modifications being made to one of the tower cranes on the site, which will increase its height.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I live across the street, was awake, and heard nothing.

Anonymous said...

"In other Marriott HQ news, watch for modifications being made to one of the tower cranes on the site"

There are no tower cranes on the site, they're still in the process of excavating. You probably won't see tower cranes until early summer.

Anonymous said...

The explosion occurred at the construction site at 7900 Wisconsin Ave, the old site of Fitness First where they have already erected about 13 floors of the new high-rise, and not at the Marriott site. There seems to have been a bit of miscommunication here - nothing nefarious. There are two tower cranes on the 7900 Wisconsin site, and the shorter one is in the process of being made taller - not clear exactly how they will do it.

Anonymous said...

Perhaps our expert and highly factual cub reporter must have intended to report that one of the tower cranes will be switched to a climber crane, which is able to add sections to itself to allow it to climb as the building grows. It’s actually quite interesting to see how a crane like this can actually insert sections and grow its height.

Hyper local, but often apparently hyper-wrong.

Anonymous said...

"To move a load in and out from the cranes center axis a troll is employed"

{rubs eyes}

"...a trolley is employed"

U mad cuz I'm employed, Bro?