Elgin, TX – A report from the Texas Railroad commission, which regulates propane in the state, found six safety violations at a home that exploded in June. Commission staff is now pursuing enforcement against the company that filled the tank three days before the blast.
One issue the report identifies is a propane company did not do a leakage test as required with an empty propane tank. On June 5, three days before the explosion, Direct Propane Services delivered propane to the home. Records indicate the tank was zero percent full before the delivery and 38 percent full after.
KXAN News reached out to Direct Propane Services, but did not receive a call back. The report also does not say what caused the explosion that left 17-year-old Marcus Newman in the hospital with severe burns.
“The fire and explosion likely occurred when propane accumulated in the house and was ignited. However, the location of a gas leak and a source of ignition were undetermined,” reads the report.
Commission staff is now recommending enforcement action against the propane company, according to a commission spokesperson. The minimum penalty is $1,500, but can go up because of personal injuryto between $5,000 to $20,000.
The report also lists five other violations after the explosion.