Capt. Grady Valencis has been with the Prince George’s County fire department for 18 years and he had never seen an explosion as large as the one that rocked a strip mall last week. On May 6, a leaking natural gas line ignited, blowing out the windows of several stores and knocking Valencis off his feet.

What did you see?

There was a smaller explosion first behind the stores. I walked back there and saw a gas fire had started along the roof line. I then ran back to the front to get equipment in place when I heard the ignition of the gas that had built up between the drop ceiling and the roof. I turned my head away and ducked just as the glass blew by me.