Monday, February 02, 2026

"Major" gas leak closes intersection in downtown Bethesda (Photos)


Update - 10:54 PM: Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson Pete Piringer says the area being searched for the leak now includes Cordell and Del Ray Avenues near Old Georgetown Road. Piringer reports there are "high readings of gas in entire area outside; higher readings at utility manholes."

Update - 10:28 PM: Police have extended the closure of St. Elmo Avenue to Norfolk Avenue. Burtonsville Volunteer Fire Department is among the agencies now on-scene.

A gas leak has forced the closure of a major intersection in downtown Bethesda. The four-way intersection of Arlington Road, Old Georgetown Road, St. Elmo Avenue, and Wilson Lane is currently closed due to what one Montgomery County police officer on the scene described as a "major gas leak." There is a noticeable odor of natural gas in the air. Police are directing traffic in the area, which should be avoided at this time.









Target truck rerouted onto Woodmont Avenue 
due to the gas leak road closures


4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Any info on that big wreck on Arlington Rd today?

Robert Dyer said...

Nothing yet from MCPD.

Anonymous said...

I believe the Burtonsville piece is actually running as Rescue 741-B, B-CC’s second-out heavy rescue. Readers may have noticed our local rescue squad has recently been using a rotating assortment of rigs bearing the names, and paint schemes, of other departments —Laytonsville, Wheaton, and Burtonsville. This is a temporary arrangement, the equipment lent while BCC designs and has built and delivered a new, multi-million-dollar second squad of their own, to replace the 2002 unit they drove the wheels off of.
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Anonymous said...

Robert @ 8:37, thank goodness MCPD has their radio traffic encrypted. Otherwise, we might have a fair hope of learning what police-y things go on in our community without having to hope police deign to share some portion of information they deem we may be allowed to know.