The Indiana State Fire Marshal said its joint investigation with the
Gas line meter data “showed a sharp increase in gas usage beginning two days before the blast," the State Fire Marshal said in a news release. “No additional evidence was found to determine how the valve was opened; however, there is no indication of foul play."
Investigators said testing found that the gas lines between the home’s meter and the mainlines of the local utility,
“It could not be determined how the occupants were unaware of the gas accumulating in the home,” the news release states.
The cause of the deadly explosion was ruled as “accidental." While investigators could not conclusively identify the ignition source that ultimately ignited the gas, they found that “electrical devices and other appliances in the home could have served as an ignition source."
The explosion, which was captured on video, launched wooden boards, window glass, insulation and other debris at least 100 feet (30 meters) into the air in
Authorities said the explosion damaged 39 homes, leaving 11 of them uninhabitable in the
A married couple, 43-year-old
“The investigation is complete, these are the findings and hopefully it will help everybody be able to move forward from this point,” he said.
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