Fatal Gas Explosion Also Injures 7 Utility Workers

One person died and seven utility workers received injuries because of a huge explosion that occurred March 4, 2014, in South Fork, New Jersey. The blast, fueled by gas, also damaged or destroyed at least 55 homes. Anyone can be the victim of an accident and suffer injuries at any time, but industrial workers typically face a greater danger of incurring job-related injuries. Work injury lawyers help people injured on the job, and an industrial accident attorney or personal injury attorney can usually ensure that residents and workers receive adequate compensation for their injuries in this type of explosion. Public Service Electric & Gas (PSE&G) company employees were attempting to remedy a problem with the electricity in a home next to the site of the explosion before the blast occurred. The company engaged Henkels & McCoy, contractors based in Long Island City, New York, to correct the problem. Officials believe an electrical contractor possibly damaged a small service line or a two-inch, underground gas main while digging in the area, which may have caused the catastrophe. Mike Gaffney, director of gas construction, said, "Either the service line or the main to the area was cut." However, Gaffney later said a small breach may have allowed gas to escape and feed the flames. After the contractors apparently cut or nicked the PSE&G line, gas started building up inside one of the homes. Henkels & McCoy employees noticed the smell of gas in the area shortly before noon and notified PSE&G immediately. The Henkels & McCoy workers then moved to a safer area, farther from the odor. PSE&G employees arrived at the scene 13 minutes later and had been working nearly an hour to rectify the problem when the explosion originated from a condominium unit shortly before one o'clock. A ball of fire followed the thunderous blast, and the fire raged for more than two hours. Flames soon appeared along the ground close to a vertical driller used for digging into the soil as well. The blast demolished the condo unit, area homes and injured two Henkels & McCoy employees along with five PSE&G workers. Several workers were standing in front of the condo when the explosion occurred. Two employees went to the hospital for treatment of injuries and five workers went for observation. Some of the victims required surgery, but none of the injuries included burns. The injuries were minor to moderate and not regarded as potentially fatal. Leg fractures to bones below the knees were the most serious wounds, and some workers suffered concussions from the momentum of the explosion. Other injuries included debris from the blast embedded in the skin and lacerations. Officials believe the woman who died in the explosion lived in the area because they found her body on the hood of a vehicle parked in the wreckage of the demolished condos. Although the blast destroyed at least 10 houses and extensively damaged many homes as well, no other residents were injured. If the accident had occurred at night when most of the residents were at home, the number of people killed or injured may have been much higher. Ewing Police Lieutenant Ron Lunetta said, "I think if it was at night, our injury numbers would have been up. Had it had to happen, at least in the daytime a lot of people were not there." Hours after the explosion, local and state inspectors began examining the wreckage and attempting to determine the magnitude of the damage. Investigation by the police department will begin when officers are able to conduct interviews with the hospitalized blast victims. The New Jersey State Board of Public Utilities and PSE&G are both conducting investigations to establish the cause of the accident. The utility has had prior experiences with Henkels & McCoy without encountering any problems.