ELIZABETH JIA
WUSA9
Reprinted with Permission

FORESTVILLE, Md. (WUSA) - Ledo's Pizza & Pasta's owner thanks the Prince George's County Fire Department for saving his life and others on May 7, 2009 when a natural gas explosion turned the pizza shop into a pile of rubble.


"I thank the customers. They're coming back. And the firefighters. I always appreciate for that," says Mohammed Siddique.

The firefighter's uniform and photos adorn the wall of one side of his newly-built restaurant.

Siddique also will offer free small pizzas to firefighters and paramedics on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2010, at the restaurant's official re-opening.

Eight firefighters and one gas worker were injured, but everyone survived. No customer or employee at the Penn Mar Shopping Center got hurt after firefighters safely evacuated them.

The shops did crumble beneath the force of the blast.

"I actually didn't come in and I went to Burlington [Coat Factory] instead. And then I went back to work and heard that it had exploded," says Jennifer Harrison, a regular at the Ledo's.

Now customers are enjoying the food, and some actually think things have improved.

"I really missed the Ledo's. I don't have to go across town now," says Troy Hill who eats pizza with his wife.

"It's nicer in here. There's more room. It was almost a little blessing in disguise! It's horrible but the food's better," says Harrison.

Written by Elizabeth Jia
9NEWS NOW & WUSA9.com