Carroll County Commissioner W. Benjamin Brown said Friday that he wants the county to study whether its agencies could help prevent a gas explosion like the one that wrecked a Westminster neighborhood last month.
"Are the rules going to safeguard that this doesn't happen again?" he asked. "I don't think it's in the county's best interest to accept anything we're told."
Residents still are looking for answers about the incident, Mr. Brown said.
"There's liability floating around, and everybody's pointing the finger that way," he said.
No one has threatened a lawsuit against the county, Mr. Brown said.
The Jan. 19 explosion destroyed one home, damaged 65 others and caused more than $1 million in damage. No one was injured.
The blast occurred after contractors working in the Autumn Ridge neighborhood hit a gas pipe. Gas leaked for about 90 minutes, making its way into a vacant house at 90 Sunshine Way, where it was ignited by a spark from a basement sump pump.
The Maryland Public Service Commission determined that Apollo Trenching Co. of Ellicott City, a subcontractor for Prestige Cable Co., ignored above-ground markings when installing an underground cable television line.
Utility, cable and other companies work in county rights of way, and county government should be aware of what kind of contractors the companies hire, Mr. Brown said.
"I want the county to have a better picture of what happens when utilities go through neighborhoods," he said.
Mr. Brown said he planned to establish a committee to study the issue. He said he was not sure who will be on it, but it likely will include staff members from public works, emergency services and building inspection offices.
The Westminster Volunteer Fire Company is studying how it handled the situation. Members are scheduled to critique the performance of emergency response personnel at a meeting at 7 p.m. tomorrow at the fire hall on Main Street.
Organizations involved in responding to the explosion have been invited, Capt. Jim Starry said. They include Baltimore Gas and Electric Co., the city police, the Board of Education, the State Highway Administration and other local fire companies.
Those attending will review how the situation was handled and discuss ways "to help us next time," Captain Starry said.