ANNAPOLIS, MD (AP) – The National Transportation Safety Board, which has jurisdiction over pipelines, is investigating a natural gas explosion at a home on Arthur Woods Drive in Bel Air, Maryland, that claimed two lives. State officials have identified the two victims and the state fire marshal’s office said they are focusing on accidental causes because there is no evidence of criminal activity. Officials say 73-year-old homeowner Ray Corkran Jr. died in the explosion. Jose Rodriguez-Alvarado, a 35-year-old contracted employee with Baltimore Gas and Electric, also died. Firefighters were called to the area around 6:40 a.m. Sunday for a report of a gas leak and an outdoor odor of gas. A woman in a house next door was treated for injuries on the scene. Neighbors in the vicinity reported a variety of damage to their homes from the explosion. Twelve families were displaced.
