Authorities apparently still don’t know exactly what caused the gas explosion that ripped apart three row houses in South Philadelphia at the end of last month. The only thing that is certain at this point is that the blast occurred and that several people were injured.
The most seriously hurt in the worksite accident was a flooring worker who was in the home installing tile when the explosion happened. He suffered second- and third-degree burns to his arms and his face. He’s now said to be recovering at home.
It’s not clear from the news reports whether the worker was a self-employed contractor or an employee of a company. Sorting out that issue will likely be critical in making any determination regarding workers’ compensation benefits that may be due.
To his credit, the worker has an attorney looking out for his legal interests. In fact, the lawyer and a crew of private worksite investigators were at the location of the blast on Daly Street last week seeking clues as to what happened.
The attorney told a reporter that what is apparent is that gas was being fed to the home, even though it was vacant and undergoing a rehab. He says his client did not know that the gas was on, and as a result became an innocent victim of the blast.
There has been speculation by some that someone lighting a cigarette caused the blast. But officials stress that those are only rumors and that no cause has been determined at this point.
Source: NBCPhiladelphia.com, “First Look at Contractor Burned in Daly House Explosion,” Karan Araiza, Aug. 7, 2013