Wichita, KS – More than two days after an explosion flattened a woman’s home in Lincoln County on Wednesday, she remains in critical condition at a Wichita hospital. The Lincoln County Sheriff’s office said Friday a natural gas leak caused the explosion, but fire marshals don’t know where the leak came from.
That same Wednesday morning in Portland, OR, A natural gas leak caused a massive explosion that destroyed several businesses, and hurt seven people, including two firefighters.
Eyewitness News asked a local fire marshal how people can prevent natural gas leaks and explosions. The Andover Fire Marshall says there are some steps you can take to help keep your home safe and say you should get it checked by a professional on a regular basis.
“Seasonally, as we come into this cooler season, it’s important to get your homes and appliances checked out, especially heating appliances when they’ve been sitting idle all summer long,” said Mike Roosevelt, the Fire Marshall in Andover.
“If people have not been using their gas appliances, when you energize them that first time there’s always that potential,” he said.