Page 4 - aruba-today-20220301_Part3

A4 U.S. NEWS
Friday 4 March 2022
Ten hospitalized, several missing in Md. apartment explosion

SILVER SPRING, Md. (AP) other buildings.
— Ten people were taken "It's kind of scary looking at
to hospitals and several re- the extent of the explosion
main unaccounted for fol- and it's hard not to imag-
lowing an explosion and fire ine the impact it's had on
at a Maryland apartment people," said Montgomery
building Thursday morning, County Executive Marc El-
authorities said. rich. "It's definitely a tough
Firefighters responded to day."
the Friendly Garden Apart- Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan
ments in Silver Spring, just tweeted that his team has
outside Washington, D.C., been in contact with coun-
about 10:30 a.m. ty officials about the explo-
Video footage from a near- sion, and that the state fire
by resident's outdoor secu- marshal, state police and
rity camera shows an ex- state emergency manage-
plosion obliterating an end ment officials were offering
unit of one building. their support.
Steven Inman was cook- Authorities have yet to de-
ing in a nearby apartment termine the exact origin
when he heard the blast. or cause of the blast, but
"We heard the bang, loud Goldstein said there had
shake. I see that the build- Charred rubble is seen after an apartment building collapsed after an explosion this morning in been no prior 911 calls re-
ing is gone. My father yells Silver Spring, Md., Thursday, March, 3, 2022. garding the odor of gas
out to me and I was al- Associated Press or a gas leak on the block
ready running over here," since at least Jan. 1 of last
he said. a number to provide you at Goldstein said there were and debris scattered on year.
Inman said he helped a this point," Goldstein said at "possible indications of the ground. Washington Gas, a utility
woman and her small child an afternoon news confer- alerts" by search dogs, Goldstein indicated that that serves the area, said it
get out of the building ence. which could indicate bod- most of the flames had was aware of the incident
found another woman with "Our focus is to remain here ies or survivors could be in been extinguished by Thurs- and that its personnel were
third-degree burns over until everybody is account- the rubble of the exploded day afternoon. assisting the fire depart-
much of her body. ed for," he added. building. Crews will need Authorities were hoping to ment.
Montgomery County Fire The building that explod- to bring in heavy machin- escort residents back into "As always, the safety of our
and Rescue Service Chief ed, as well as those imme- ery to remove an unstable the buildings that have customers and community
Scott Goldstein said 10 diately adjacent to and freestanding wall in order been declared unsafe is our top priority," the com-
people were taken to the across from it, have been to facilitate the search, he later Thursday so that they pany said in a statement.
hospital, three with serious declared unsafe to reoc- said. could retrieve belongings "We are supporting the ac-
injuries. cupy. The three buildings Video from the scene before being taken to shel- tive investigation and do
"We do have several unac- are home to roughly 100 showed flames shooting ter or hotels, and to allow not have further details to
counted for. I do not have people, Goldstein said. from the roof of a building residents to reoccupy three share at this time."q

Popular hard seltzers to be scarcer in Utah under new law

Saints. drinks including hard selt- which are the only legal
The clampdown is aimed zer brands to retailers, said outlets for wine and spir-
at drinks containing com- Shanna Clay, a representa- its in Utah. But limited shelf
monly used food flavorings tive for the company. space means that some
that contain trace amounts "These represent kind of ir- varieties could disappear
of ethyl alcohol, making replaceable losses to our from the state altogether.
certain seltzer flavors tech- company as well as threat- Hard seltzers have expe-
nically illegal to sell in Utah ening jobs," she said during rienced massive growth
grocery and convenience a recent legislative hear- in the U.S. recently as cus-
stores. The final state Sen- ing. tomers seek booze with less
ate vote was 19-8.Up to 39 Lawmakers have said stores sugar and calories.
of the 80 approved types would be given six months While many US states have
of hard seltzers — including to comply, softening the im- complex alcohol regula-
some made by well-known pact of the changes, and tions, Utah tends to set es-
brands like Truly, Coors and House sponsor Republican pecially strict laws, like the
Bud Light — would likely Rep. Steve Waldrip said ne- lowest DUI threshold in the
have to go, as well as hard gotiations will continue on nation.
A can of Coors Seltzer Mango, center, is shown with Vizzy Blue-
berry Pomegranate, left, and Vizzy Pineapple Mango, in front of kombuchas. ways to return products to Most lawmakers are mem-
the Utah State Capitol, Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022, in Salt Lake City. The bill must still be signed retail shelves. bers of the state's predomi-
Associated Press by Republican Utah Gov. "We will address this is- nant religious faith, The
Spencer Cox, who said last sue with seltzers, but in the Church of Jesus Christ of
By LINDSAY WHITEHURST that passed the Legislature month that he has no plans meantime we have to Latter-day Saints, which is
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Hard Thursday in the latest up- to veto it. comply with our laws," Wal- widely known as Mormon
seltzer drinkers in Utah will date to strict alcohol laws in The impact could be seri- drip said last week. and teaches abstinence
likely have their choices the state that's home to the ous for businesses like Salt Under the new law, the from alcohol. The faith has
on grocery store shelves alcohol-eschewing Church Lake City-based M&M Dis- seltzers could still be sold in declined to comment on
cut in half under legislation of Jesus Christ of Latter-day tributing, which distributes state-owned liquor stores, the latest legislation.q