Cordova, AL – State investigators now believe a heater that ignited a gas leak caused last week’s deadly Cordova explosion.
Wednesday they found the section of pipe they believe leaked the gas that led to the blast.
Last Tuesday, a natural gas blast leveled 69-year-old Hillard Minor’s home.
Minor was killed and three city workers were injured.
Those workers had been searching for the source of a gas leak near Minor’s home when the house detonated.
Wednesday state investigators dug up a 4-foot section of pipe within feet of where Minor’s home stood.
The State Fire Marshal says they’ve determined that gas leaked from that pipe into Minor’s house.
We believe that the ignition inside the home was the heating source that the homeowner was using for heat in the home, Ed Paulk said.
Federal safety guidelines require that the city and the Alabama Public Service Commission check all natural gas lines on a regular basis.
We have filed an open records request with the PSC for access to Cordova’s gas line inspection records.