Allegheny County Fire Marshal Provides Update on One-Year Anniversary of Rustic Ridge House Explosion in Plum
PITTSBURGH – As the lead investigative agency, the Allegheny County Fire Marshal (ACFM) provides an update on their investigation thus far into the Rustic Ridge house explosion in Plum that occurred one year ago today, on August 12, 2023.
The investigation still focuses on the 141 Rustic Ridge address as the structure of event origin. The case is still open and under active investigation. This process is often rigorous and lengthy as investigators review evidence carefully to ensure they have as much information as possible before issuing any determination. There will be another joint evidence exam in the near future while several additional investigators, engineers, attorneys, and other experts have been added to the growing group of interested parties. The protocol is still under development for the testing procedures for all collected evidence. All involved parties need to agree on the date(s), time(s) and testing processes before the investigation can move forward.
The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PA PUC), on July 16, 2024, released their findings declaring no evidence of public utility natural gas equipment causing the house explosion in the Rustic Ridge neighborhood. PA PUC states, “Following an extensive and exhaustive investigation into this tragedy, the Safety Division found no evidence linking public utility jurisdictional assets to the cause of the deadly house explosion and fire in the Rustic Ridge neighborhood which resulted in six deaths, several injuries, the destruction of three homes and damage to other surrounding residences.” PA PUC experts will continue to assist in the ongoing local investigation. You can find the full release here.
Under state law, the ACFM is tasked with investigating the origin and cause of fires and explosions that occur in Allegheny County. The process to confirm the origin and cause has included interviews, investigative photography/videography, drone imagery and 3D scans, debris layering, scene reconstruction, examination of all utility connections and circuitry, application of the scientific method, and other measures as appropriate.
This investigation has been extensive and thorough and there is no time frame for when it will be complete. As additional information becomes available, it will be released via press release after appropriate notifications have been made.
Finally, ACFM is using this opportunity to encourage homeowners to install combustible gas detectors, and also reminds residents of these best practices:
- If you smell natural gas, do NOT turn on any appliances or light switches.
- Exit the house and go to a safe area away from the house.
- Call 9-1-1 from outside of the house.
- Call the gas company from outside of the house.
- Do not re-enter the house.
- Wait for first responders to arrive.
|
