FALLS EXPLOSION: Gas slowly filled home from broken underground line

Greater Niagara Newspapers

August 03, 2008 11:52 pm

— NIAGARA FALLS, Ont. — Highly flammable propane fumes slowly filled a Beechwood Road home for several hours before the bungalow exploded Wednesday, killing one woman inside.
Now the Niagara Falls Fire Department has determined the blast and fatal fire was caused by a puncture in an underground propane line.
Assistant Chief Jim Jessop said the propane line was broken by a piece of rebar. The metal support bar also nicked a satellite conduit that connected the line to the home.
“The force and pressure of the propane coming out of the main cylinder forced its way into the conduit and filled with house with propane,” Jessop said. “When the propane reached its explosive limit, it resulted in the tragic explosion.”
Police have not released the name of the victim, but a man described as a family friend identified the woman as Sharmaine Rudan.
There were no natural gas lines on the rural property. Fuel from a private propane line was used to heat the home and power appliances.
Propane gas has no smell, but for safety reasons an ingredient is added to give it the distinctive odor of rotten eggs. However, according to fire officials that smell may not be present if a line has broken underground.
The case is now in the hands of the Ministry of Labor and the Technical Standards and Safety Authority to determine if charges will be laid.
There were no hydrants, so the first firefighters on the scene drew water from a swimming pool on the property.
Alison Langley, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Review