News Releases

Update: Silver Spring Fire Investigation: Five Victims Identified

For Immediate Release: Tuesday, August 23, 2016

Detectives from the Montgomery County Police - Major Crimes Division, with the assistance of the Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME), have now positively identified five of the victims located deceased at the scene of an explosion and fire at apartment buildings located at  8701 and 8703 Arliss Avenue.

On Friday, August 19, investigators positively identified three victims as, Maria Auxiliadorai Castellon-Martinez, age 53, Augusto Jimenez Sr., age 62, and Saul Paniagua, age 65.

Today, investigators are identifying two additional victims as Deibi “David” Samir Lainez Morales, age 8 and Fernando Josue Hernandez Orellana, age 3.

Investigators continue their work with the ATF and OCME to identify the two remaining victims.

On Friday, August 19, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) became the lead investigating organization of this fire and explosion.  With the exception of confirming the identities of the victims, the Montgomery County Police has no further information to provide regarding this investigation.

PRS

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Release ID: 16-215
Media Contact: mcpnews 
Categories: uncategorized