Explosion injures 2, damages Common Ground Building in McKeesport
MCKEESPORT, Pa. (KDKA) — Two people were injured in an explosion at the former YWCA building in McKeesport on Tuesday morning.
The Common Ground Building on Ninth Avenue has significant damage after the explosion, which appears to have involved a gas line, a McKeesport spokesperson said.
The two people who were injured were installing a handicap-accessible ramp around 9 a.m., McKeesport Mayor Michael Cherepko said. KDKA-TV was told one person was working in a mini-excavator and the other person was working on the ground when the explosion happened. Their condition has not been released, but they are expected to be OK.
KDKA-TV has learned that the contractors and the subcontractors failed to notify the Pennsylvania One Call System.
"I've spent the last 47 years of my life trying to stop this from happening, and it really hurts. It hurts deep that people continue not to call 811 before they dig," said Bill Kiger, president and CEO of the Pennsylvania One Call System.
It's the law in Pennsylvania that anyone digging with powered equipment must notify the Pennsylvania One Call System. The system helps determine the location of gas lines, electric lines and utilitiies.
"The subtractor doing the excavating was KDC, an LLC out of McKeesport," Kiger said. "They should have called before they dug. And we have no record not only of this one but of any call they might have made in the last five years."
Engineers from the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission's Safety Division and the Allegheny County fire marshal were at the site investigating Tuesday.
"The fire marshal was even quivering when he spoke to me this morning because he hadn't seen that kind of injury," Kiger said.
This building houses the Penn State Greater Allegheny's Launch Box program, the Ninth Street Clinic and the offices of PurePenn/Trulieve. The Launch Box program helps entrepreneurs get their businesses started.
"After I realized that everybody was safe, I thought about my stuff," Rissa Shockley said.
Shockley is one of those business owners. She had her paint and sip business, Paint at Your Own Risk, inside for about a year. She started it as a side hobby and then made it her full-time job about two years ago.
"I'm a single mom of five, and that's what I feed my family off of," Shockley said.
Shockley has insurance and the Launch Box program is working with her and the other businesses to get back on their feet.
"I'm trying to not look at this like a loss but look at is something is greater is going to come out of this," Shockley said.
The Allegheny County Fire Marshal is still investigating the exact cause of the explosion. The building, which is expected to be a total loss, is the former YWCA of McKeesport and the former offices of Womansplace and the Center for Victims.
The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission is the enforcement agency for the state's One Call System.
