Cause of Kitchener house explosion still not known
Posted Feb 28, 2013 05:53:45 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The Kitchener Fire Department and Kitchener Utilities held a public meeting at W.T. Townshend Public School Wednesday night to update Activa residents after a house explosion last month.
Many people were left with concerns about their own homes in the area after the explosion, and the meeting last night was also aimed at calming fears. Many are worried about gas leaks or build-ups, as well as their home appliances.
Kitchener Fire Chief, Tim Beckett tells 570 News many things have been ruled out, but there are still many possibilities as to what caused the gaseous explosion.
Beckett says the although the on-site portion of the investigation is complete, there is still lots of work going on off-sight.
“We’ve got forensics testing that’s being done on pieces of natural gas piping and connections. We’ve got some research happening to look at other causes of the explosion, just to rule those out.”
Beckett adds there has been lots of testing on the distribution system in and around the neighbourhood, and it’s been declared to be sound.
Some of the other causes that have been ruled out include gas deposits or build-ups in the ground, and criminal activity. The furnace and the hot water heater from the house were also recovered and tested. It was determined neither were faulty.
It was also brought up at the meeting that the neighbourhood has seen a lot more door-to-door sales people for gas and water heaters since the explosion. Director of Kitchener Utilities, Barry Nash reminded residents that Kitchener Utilities does not knock on doors, and all of their water heaters are up-to-date with current codes.
Gases that could be responsible include methane, butane, propane or even gasoline itself.
Residents were shown many tools they can use in their homes to keep them safe, such as carbon monoxide, propane and smoke detectors. They were also advised to keep their barbeques and gas cans outside to avoid a build-up to gas and fumes. Another tip was to have all systems, such as gas and water heaters, checked at least once a year to make sure they are working properly.
Beckett says he thinks the meeting went well, and although there is still apprehension in the air, he says time may be the only thing that will ease it.
The cause of the explosion will determine whether or not another public meeting will be held. Beckett says if the cause was something minor, it will most likely just come out in a news release.
The Fire Marshall’s office and Kitchener Fire are continuing the investigation, and the cause of the explosion may not be known for another several months.
