Around 1:47 PM yesterday, horns sounded in the Westbard area of Bethesda. Moments later, explosives were detonated, shaking the ground and rattling nearby homes and businesses. That was followed by an all-clear horn. This was presumably related to the Westbard Avenue realignment project, as that is the only project of the scale that would require blasting in the area, but that is not confirmed. The explosions took the community by surprise, as whoever detonated the charges did not issue a public announcement beforehand. Neither did Montgomery County.
The vibrations of these blasts can damage nearby properties, and the parties involved can be held liable for such damages. As such, the surrounding property owners must be notified in advance of such blasting. When the Fourth Presbyterian Church at 5500 River Road required blasting for their addition, they advised the community of this in advance. It's not unusual to blast during large-scale construction excavation in Bethesda, as the soil is known to be very rocky here. What is unusual, is for residents to suddenly hear and feel a blast they were given no warning of.
Will more blasting be heard around Westbard today or in coming days? We don't know, because there's been no public announcement.
2 comments:
"and the parties involved can be held liable for such damages"
I have a perennial problem with utility companies digging multiple times on the same spot near my property. The bedrock goes directly under my house and the vibrations are intensified. As a result, there are multiple cracks on the walls. I had police officers come, but they were in denial. How do you go about holding them liable for damages?
Speak with a few lawyers who specialize in these types of cases 2:44. Government will not help. Be ready to spend some money if you want to pursue this avenue though.
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