301.482.0300 Update Following 9/7 Gas Leak Explosion at Corporate Headquarters Facebook Twitter Email LinkedIn Print As many in the community are aware, there was an explosion at Ruppert Landscape’s corporate campus in Laytonsville, MD on the morning of September 7, 2021. That explosion occurred after a propane gas leak, the cause of which has been thoroughly investigated and has not yet been determined. After smelling gas upon the return from the three-day Labor Day weekend, our facility manager, Bill Law, safely escorted one team member out of the building and cautioned others from entering—mitigating what could have been an even worse outcome. He immediately called the gas company to come out for an emergency inspection. Upon his reentry into the building, an explosion occurred. The gas technician who was outside the building at the time was thrown several feet, received treatment at the hospital and was released later that day. Bill was flown to Washington Hospital Center and suffered serious trauma to his left leg. Over the course of the past six weeks, he has undergone several surgeries and we are happy to report is now in stable condition and improving daily. He faces several more months of intense physical therapy and rehabilitation to regain the use of his leg, but doctors are optimistic about his long-term recovery. “We have received such an outpouring of support from the community—from the emergency responders from both the Laytonsville and Damascus volunteer fire stations who were on site the day of the incident, to community members who have reached out and dropped off food and made inquiries—I just wanted people to know how indebted we are for your concern and care,” said Craig Ruppert, CEO. “There is no better community than those here in Montgomery County and our team is very thankful for all of the care and concern that’s been directed to our company and to our teammate, Bill.” While the structure was unsalvageable and had to be taken down, there are plans already underway to reconstruct the building to closely resemble the historic structure. The new building, which will constructed with all upgraded county building codes and new and improved safety features, should be completed by mid-2022. Temporary trailers will house employees who were displaced as a result of this incident. “We are cognizant of the fact that the building we lost was on the county’s historic registry,” said Ruppert. “The loss of that building and its long-standing history in the community is something we are still coming to terms with ourselves. To the best of our ability, we are going to replace it with a structure of about the same size, that acknowledges the building’s history and is in keeping with what the community was accustomed to seeing when they passed our property.” He continued, “As for our team, we are just grateful that Bill is steadily improving and that no one else was seriously injured. This incident could have been much worse and we owe a lot to Bill’s quick thinking and fast response. He is a true hero.” Ruppert Landscape, a family and employee-owned business, has been an industry-leading provider of commercial landscape construction and management services for nearly 50 years. Headquartered in Laytonsville, Maryland, the company employs over 1800 people and serves customers from 29 branches in eight primary markets: Philadelphia, Baltimore, D.C., Richmond, Raleigh, Charlotte, Atlanta, and Houston. The company has a long-standing tradition of growing its team and giving back to the community. Learn more at www.ruppertlandscape.com. COME GROW WITH US SEE OUR WORK FIND YOUR LOCAL BRANCH P: (301) 482-0300 F: (301) 482-0303 FIND YOUR LOCAL BRANCH Ruppert Headquarters 23601 Laytonsville Road Laytonsville, MD 20882 COME GROW WITH US! Click here to view current openings and apply online HOME ABOUT SERVICES PORTFOLIO CAREER CONTACT US Copyright © 2021 Ruppert Landscape | Privacy Policy Website Design By Blue Corona The information on this website is for informational purposes only; it is deemed accurate but not guaranteed. It does not constitute professional advice. All information is subject to change at any time without notice. Contact us for complete details.