Pittsburgh utilities officials find no evidence of public natural gas equipment causing deadly Rustic Ridge house explosion
PLUM, Pa. (KDKA) -- The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission Safety Division has concluded its investigation into the deadly August 2023 house explosion in Plum Borough, Allegheny County.
The Safety Division found no evidence linking public utility natural gas equipment to the cause of the house explosion and fire in the Rustic Ridge neighborhood, according to a media release from the Public Utility Commission.
Six people were killed, several others were injured, and three homes were destroyed as a result of the explosion.
On Aug. 12, 2023, in the aftermath of the explosion, pipeline safety engineers and other investigators from the Safety Division immediately began gathering information from residents, responders, and utilities around the neighborhood.
The Safety Division also required field and laboratory testing of Peoples Gas service lines and other local facilities while the team monitored integrity tests of nearby public utility natural gas service lines by Peoples Gas crews, the media release added.
The PUC safety team conducted several interviews with utility employees, first responders, and residents, collected and reviewed extensive data from Peoples Gas, and monitored the restoration of electric and natural gas service to homes in the area that were not directly impacted by the explosion.