Please enter a search term.
Please enter a search term. API Lsaw Tube
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — The Syracuse Fire Chief suggests that had an unused natural gas pipe been capped, an accidental switch of the valve may not have caused an explosion on the city’s North Side.
“The cap would have prevented a leak from happening if it was installed properly,” said Chief Michael Monds at a briefing on Friday, June 21, at which investigators detailed the cause of a house explosion on Carbon Street on Tuesday, June 18.
“The basement walls, which were made of concrete, were cracked,” said Chief Fire Investigator Joseph Fenell. “There was probable an 18-inch section blow in into debris pile,” he said to describe the size of the blast. The basement explosion brought down the rest of the house.
After confirming there were no more victims trapped in the rubble Tuesday night, an investigation into the cause began Wednesday morning, June 19.
Friday afternoon, the cause was announced to be an accidentally opened natural gas valve designed for a clothes dryer hook-up. No appliance was in use, which is why a cap on the natural gas pipe would have been suggested.
A spokesperson for Syracuse City Hall confirmed to NewsChannel 9 that had the home been inspected by the codes department, the uncapped pipe could have been considered a code violation. No complaints had been made, according to the spokesperson.
The spokesperson added code violations can’t be enforced with the property no longer standing.
Friday, a spokesperson for Upstate University Hospital offered updated conditions for the 12 people hospitalized. Seven of them have been discharged, but five remain in critical condition.
A baby and two toddlers remain in critical condition, but the spokesperson added two adults to the critical list. He noted this doesn’t represent a worsening of their condition, but a better label of what their condition has been since being admitted Tuesday.
Tube Api Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.