The investigation of a fatal duplex explosion in is centered on the possibility of a leak of explosive gas. The first person to die from the blast lived a second-floor unit of the home that blew up — a relatively new duplex. The mayor told reporters this week that two of the injured people remained hospitalized in critical condition, including an 11-year-old boy who suffered critical burns. The two were taken to the hospital.
The structure was newly constructed and various tenants had smelled gas in the days leading up to the blast. The explosion happened about 8 a.m. and affected many other buildings, including two that were knocked off their foundations. The fatal explosion blew out windows of homes as far as two blocks away in a neighborhood.
In a report by the Associated Press, the mayor said investigators were looking closely at a first-floor gas line that may have been capped incorrectly when a gas dryer was removed several weeks ago, but nothing official has been concluded.
With cases like this, lawyers for explosion victims generally conduct their own investigations to uncover who is responsible for the failure and how much compensation is owed to the victims and their families.
