Evening star., 1946-02-26
Blast Wrecks
Lawyer Home
Firemen Search Ruins;
Veteran, n, May
Have Been in House
Picture on Page A-3.J

A terrific blast of unexplained
origin early this afternoon de-
stroyed the two-story residence
OF Harry J. Gerrity, an attorney,
at 6109 Nevada avenue NV. and
shook houses in the Chevy Chase
area for more than a mile.
Police feared that Mr.. Gerritys
son, Edward, 81, a recently dis
charged veteran, may have been in
the house when an explosion burst
through the rear wall and caused
the V-shaped, slate roof to settle
over all the walls as they crumbled.
Mary Ellen Gerrity, Is, a daugh-
ter, was at school. Neighbors said
they had seen Mrs. Gerrity walking
to neighborhood store Immediately
before the explosion.
Gas Fumes Blamed.
Mr.. Gerrity. hurrying to the scene
from his Office in the Hill Building,
told police it appeared probable
that the explosion was caused by
gas fumes since his house had a
gas furnace and a gas-fired water
heater. He said his water heater
had developed a water leak recently
but declared the apparatus had
leaked before with no untoward ef-
fects.
Il believe it must have been the
gas heater" Mr.. Gerrity said. TT
couldn't have been anything else"
The explosion destroyed most Of
the windows in the house at 35l6
Runnymede place, feet away from
the destroyed building.
Flames Immediately burst from
the wreckage. Firemen, wearing gas
masks, began searching through
the rubble, while streams from
fire hose were turned on adjacent
houses to prevent the blaze from
spreading.
Porch Thrown 10 Feet.
The heavy wooden porch 'front.'
ing the tWo-story frame house was
lifted by the conclusion and thrown
about 10 feet onto the front lawn.
Telephone and electric lines lead
ing to the rubble were found
draped with rags and other debris.
and stufflng from sofas and mat
treSss were scattered throughout
the area.
More than 500 persons gathered
directly after the blast and police
men formed a Gordon to prevent
their injury from glass and the fire.
Traffic was jammed for two blocks
in either direction from the house,
j. H. Lang of 1927 Runnymede
place, said the explosion occurred
about l pm.
The blast appeared to have oc-
Cured in the back of the house
where the kitchen was located" he
declared. THE whole back wall was
blown out and the roof settled down
over it. AS the roof fell the front
and sides of the building collapsed
and the roof settled over all the
wreckage."
Woman Treated for Cuts.
Mrs. John A. Logan, 6001 Nevada
avenue NV, wife of a physician,
SAID that a woman who she believed
was Mrs. William F. Mattingly, was
brought to her husbands office for
treatment of cuts about the face
and arms. An ambulance was sum-
to take her to the hospital.
Mrs. Mattingly's home had a door
sign indicating it was quarantined
for scarlet fever.
Repairmen from the gas and elec-
tic companies arrived at the scene
almost simultaneously with firemen,
and Immediately began checking the
gas mains and electric wires.
Mr.. Gerrity was pale and shaken
when he arrived at the scene, still
not knowing whether his son, Ed
ward, was in the house.
He told Maj. Harvey G. Callahan,
police superintendent, he had de-
cided to drive to his Office this
morning instead of following his
usual practice of riding to work
with his family.
Il wish I had let them drive me
down this morning. Then T
wouldn't worry about them being
here" he said brokenly.
Told Son to Stay Home.
Are you sure your son is not out
visiting some place." Maj. Callahan
asked the father.
Il told him to stay home and get
some rest today" Mr. Gerrity said,
never taking his eyes from a cluster
of flremen struggling to move a
heavy beam. Eddy was going back
to school soon. His railroad tickets
are in there"
The father told reporters he first
heard of the disaster when neigh
Dor, Mrs. John j. Carmody of 6121
Nevada avenue, called him at his
Office and told of what happened.
"She said she had already called
the police so I rushed right home"
he said.
Mr.. Garrity stood with Msgr,
Thomas J. Smythe, pastor of Bles-
(See EXPLOSION, Page A-3.)