Odor Of Gas

Concerned about the number of recent fires involving liquefied petroleum gas in Maryland, state Fire Marshal Rocco J. Gabriele has issued a list of safety tips for citizens who use the fuel.There are two types of liquefied petroleum gas (LP-gas), propane and butane. Propane is more commonly used.LP-gas is generally odorless and invisible in its natural state, but an odorant is added to the gas to help people easily detect the presence of the gas should a leak occur.* LP-gas cylinders should be stored and used in the upright position.

Minutes after residents reported a strong odor of gas in their neighborhood, an explosion rocked a bank of Irvington row houses yesterday, killing an elderly woman whose two-story brick home collapsed in a heap of rubble and debris.The explosion tore out the back of a second row house in the 300 block of Martingale Avenue and blew two large holes in the brick wall of a third. But the impact of what fire officials say was a natural gas explosion could be seen all along the narrow street of Tudor-style and porch-front homes off Frederick Avenue in Southwest Baltimore.

An elderly woman was believed killed and two other people were injured today when a gas stove exploded in a Irvington rowhouse, shattering scores of surrounding windows and forcing the evacuation of the neighborhood.City Fire Department officials said Marianne Wilderson, in her 70s, was missing and presumed dead in the rubble of her home at 321 Martingale Ave. She had lived there for nearly 45 years.Samuel Bianco, 74, who lives at 323, was rushed by city ambulance to the University of Maryland Medical Center, where he was being treated for head, face and shoulder injuries.

Fire Winfield: Firefighters responded at 7: 45 p.m. Friday to an odor of gas at Arthur Shipley Road and Route 26. Units were out 20 minutes.

Fire Manchester: Firefighters from Manchester, Lineboro and Pleasant Hill, Pa., responded at 2: 04 a.m. Friday to an odor of gas in a house in the 600 block of Canyon Court. Units were out 41 minutes.

* Westminster: Westminster and Reese responded to a fire alarm on Hahn Road at 11:02 a.m. Saturday. Units were on the scene for 20 minutes.Westminster and Reese responded to an odor of gas in a house on Washington Road at 6:40 a.m. Saturday. Units were out for 30 minutes.

FIRE* Sykesville: Engines from Sykesville, Gamber, Winfield and Liberty Road of Baltimore County were dispatched to investigate the odor of gas in a building in the 5700 block of Bartholow Road at 8 p.m. Monday. Units were out for 33 minutes.

Fire Sykesville: Sykesville, Winfield and Gamber responded at 7: 20 p.m. Monday to an odor of gas at a house in the 1000 block of Glen Eagle Court. Units were out 24 minutes. Pub Date: 3/20/96

FireNew Windsor: Firefighters from Westminster and Union Bridge assisted New Windsor at 4: 36 p.m. Wednesday, responding to a house fire on Tibbits Lane. Units were out one hour.Union Bridge: Firefighters responded at 10: 03 p.m. Wednesday to an odor of gas outdoors on Elger Street. Units were out 21 minutes.Pub Date: 6/21/96