Authorities continue to investigate the cause of a massive explosion in Northwest Austin that injured six people, leveled an entire home, and damaged two dozen other dwellings.
Travis County Fire Marshal Gary Howell, whose office will determine the cause of Sunday’s detonation, released a statement Monday saying his office “will not release any information or speculate on causes” until the investigation is complete.
“Yesterday’s tragic events will remain under investigation until all relevant facts and evidence are gathered, examined, and confirmed,” Howell said in the statement.
According to the Austin Fire Department, the probe is fire-related rather than criminal — at least for now.
The department also has said that the home that exploded, as well as one nearby that collapsed, had propane tanks rather than underground gas service.
Assistant Fire Chief Thayer Smith said Monday that inspectors gave final approval to the home’s propane tank 15 days ago, though he said he wasn’t sure which agency was responsible for the signoff.
Several neighbors told the American-Statesman on Monday that the home was recently built and that they did not know the owners.
As the investigation continues, the American-Statesman spoke with experts about how such explosions can occur and who might be at fault, depending on the cause.
What do we know about the source of the explosion?
The direct source of the explosion remains unclear.
Attorney Jesus Garcia Jr. with Kherkher Garcia LLP, a law firm that specializes in gas explosions, said currently available information suggests the explosion was “a gas leak of some sort, whether it’s either natural gas or propane.
Even if a home is not directly serviced with natural gas, Garcia added, nearby leaks can travel through sewer lines and even soil.
“If I were a gambling man, I’m betting on one of those,” Garcia said.
How do home explosions occur?
Typically, two things must happen for a massive explosion to occur: a flammable vapor (natural gas, propane) needs to build up in a contained area, and something must ignite it, according to Scott Davis, president of Gexcon, an engineering and consulting firm that specializes in fire and explosion safety.
That ignition source can be as small as an electric shock produced by human skin, Davis said.
Other culprits include activated light switches, appliances, and candles.
If gases are contained, like in a house, pressure starts to build, Davis said.
“The house lets go if the (vapor) cloud is big enough,” he said.
How those flammable vapors get inside a home is a more complex issue.
In the case of propane tanks, the lines that deliver the gas to the home can deteriorate and leak, Garcia said.
More commonly, a stove could be left on for an extended period of time.
While gas leaks are often the cause of home explosions, Davis said they can also stem from gasoline spills or the accumulation of the welding gas acetylene.
But he said the quantity of gasoline and chemicals would have to be very large to lead to a catastrophic detonation.
Who is liable for the explosion?
It’s unclear as authorities have not yet determined the cause.
Garcia said several different parties could be at fault in the case of a propane tank leak: the homeowner, the company that installed the tank, the company that filled and serviced the tank, or the company that produced the tank.
He noted that for any faults below a building’s natural gas meter, a box outside a building that gauges gas usage, the utility is typically responsible for leaks.
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