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Downed wires set pickup truck on fire in Gaithersburg

Montgomery County fire officials responded to a burning pickup and downed live wires in Gaithersburg, Maryland, on Wednesday morning. Videos from Montgomery County Fire and EMS spokesman Pete Piringer showed a white pickup truck on fire at the intersection of Muddy Branch Road and Md. Route 117/West Diamond Avenue, with electrical wires sparking over the truck’s hood:

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Over 100 PEPCO customers were without power in the area as of 9 a.m. Wednesday. PEPCO crews were called to de-energize the cables and conduct an investigation; power is expected to be restored by early afternoon. The wires fell on the car with the driver still inside, Piringer told WTOP. They were able to escape without injury. It remains unclear what led to the crash. The WTOP Traffic Center reports all road closures have ended on W. Diamond Avenue and Muddy Branch Road. For the latest road and traffic conditions, see WTOP’s traffic page or listen to updates every 10 minutes online or on the air at 103.5 FM. Below is a map of the area: [google_map latitude=”39.14012978″ longitude=”-77.20493495″ zoom=”14″ height=”300px” location_label=”west diamond ave” dynamic_map=”false”] WTOP’s Nardos Mesmer contributed to this report.

Maryland Zoo’s lone female elephant moving as facility transitions to all-male herd

The Maryland Zoo is preparing to say goodbye to its only female African elephant as it changes to an all-male herd. Felix, a 43-year-old elephant who has lived at the Baltimore zoo for 19 years, will move to another facility later this week. Zoo officials said the move is in Felix’s best interest because it will give her opportunities to socialize with other female elephants. Her interaction with other females have been limited since the zoo’s other female elephant died in 2024. “We will all miss her but having social companionship in a female herd is the best thing for Felix’s overall well-being,” Mammal Curator Erin Cantwell Grimm said.
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