Greece, N.Y. (WHAM) — Four months after a devastating explosion leveled a home on Stone Road, hospitalizing a family of three, new details have emerged about the blast that rocked the Greece neighborhood.
13WHAM obtained a copy of the fire incident report from the Monroe County Fire Bureau. The report said the home exploded as a result of natural gas filling the home, which was then ignited by an appliance. The source of the leak was a natural gas meter that didn’t have a front plate secured.
BACKGROUND: House leveled by explosion, fire on Stone Road in Greece | Greece man helps three people escape home explosion on Stone Road | ‘Sleeping was difficult’: Neighbors still reeling from Greece home explosion | Neighbors react swiftly as explosion levels house in Greece | RG&E: Gas lines did not cause Greece house explosion | Man released from hospital after Greece home explosion; daughter in guarded condition
Mark Wilcox said he will never forget the day the house next to his on Stone Rd. in Greece exploded. The explosion in November left a family of three hospitalized and a community shaken.
“It’s one thing to see rubble and building materials, but its another thing to see the couch, and things they used on a day-to-day basis and their life has just been changed so much,” Wilcox said about the family. “The violence that happened… really shocking and really sad, at least they came out of it with their lives.”
13WHAM obtained a copy of the fire incident report from the Monroe County Fire Bureau. Investigators determined the home exploded as a result of a build up of natural gas throughout the home that was caused by a leak. The gas ignited by the open flames from either the furnace burner or the pilot for the hot water heater.
“I’m sure everyone probably suspects it’s gas and it’ll probably come out that way,” Wilcox added.
The report said the front plate on the natural gas meter became separated from the meter body. This occurred because eight retaining bolts were not in place to secure the front cover plate.
Interviews were conducted with the three victims. According the the report, the homeowner’s daughter asked her father to take a meter reading two days prior to the explosion, and she said he took photos of the meter.
After the blast, investigators found a drill on the basement floor and during an interview with the homeowner he said he was using it to install new cabinets.
The circumstances surrounding the removal of the bolts, remain unknown, and investigators said this event appears to be negligent in nature and not malicious or intentional. Due to the unknown circumstances surrounding the removal of the retaining bolts, the cause of the explosion and fire is ruled as undetermined.
Wilcox said the neighborhood will always remember the day of November 11.
“There will be a new house built and we will never forget the old one and what happened,” Wilcox said.