Man commits suicide in explosion that injured 14 at Maryland condo, police say

A Maryland condo owner killed himself in an explosion that caused the building to partially collapse and injured 14 others earlier this week, police said Friday.

Juan Pablo Marshall Quizon, 36, died of smoke inhalation and burns, Montgomery County Sheriff Marcus Jones said, citing the medical examiner’s office.

Quizon’s body was found by K9 units and a fire crew searching through the rubble Thursday morning.

Quizon, who bought the Gaithersburg unit in August, had indicated to multiple people that he intended to take his own life, Jones said during a news conference Friday.

“We have no information to believe that Mr. Quizon intended any other persons to be injured or harmed in this particular incident,” Jones said.

Quizon’s mother had reported him missing on Wednesday, the day of the explosion, Jones said.

“No one in the family knew that he owned or resided at this particular location,” he said.

It is still unclear what caused the explosion. About 100 fire and rescue personnel responded to the scene.

Fourteen people were injured, kicking off a multi-day search and rescue operation, officials with the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service said.

At least 10 people, including four children, were taken to the hospital with injuries ranging from minor to critical, Montgomery County Fire Chief Scott Goldstein said during a news conference Wednesday. At least two people were treated at the scene and refused to go to the hospital, he said.