If You Own a House, Not Just Internal Gas Leaks Are a Threat

When we think of gas explosions leveling homes, we might think leaks in a kitchen or basement caused them. It doesn’t always happen that way. If a home explodes due to a gas leak, the source may come from outside. Satterley & Kelley, PLLC, represents people injured in home explosions and family members of those killed in these accidents.

Missouri Case Shows the Dangers of Ruptured Underground Gas Lines

In April, a gas explosion in a Lexington, Missouri home injured Jacob Cunningham and his ten-year-old daughter Camillia Lamb. It killed his five-year-old son, Alistair, according to KMBC. Cunningham recently filed a lawsuit against several defendants seeking compensation for the harm caused by a gas leak that fueled the explosion, which he blames on negligent acts that resulted in a ruptured gas line.

United Fiber, Alfra Communication, Sellenriek Construction, and Liberty Utilities are named defendants. The blast occurred after a construction crew mistakenly hit a gas main while burying a fiber optic line.

Cunningham claims natural gas leaked from the line for more than three hours, spread underground, and entered his home before igniting. The lawsuit claims the defendants failed to:

• Follow Missouri’s utility safety laws
• Properly locate and mark gas lines
• Notify residents of the accident
• Shut off gas and electric service in the area after the breach

The lawsuit alleges the defendants failed to take precautions required by state law.

How Can an Underground Gas Leak Outside a House Cause it to Explode?

Natural gas doesn’t just accumulate at the site of the leak. It moves, depending on conditions. If a buried gas line ruptures or cracks because of corrosion, shifting ground, tree roots, or construction digging, the gas will escape underground.

It will follow the path of least resistance. It could be cracks in the soil, utility trenches, or conduits.

If it makes its way to a house’s foundation, it could enter through the following:

• Foundation cracks
• Sewer lines or sump pits
• Gaps between where pipes or cables enter the home

Unless the supply is cut off, it may accumulate to dangerous levels in the following:

• Enclosed areas like a basement or wall cavity
• A covered porch, garage, or crawl space

Finally, something ignites the mixture of gas and air in the home. That ignition source could be the following:

• A furnace or water heater pilot light
• Electrical outlets or switches
• A car starting in a garage
• Lit cigarettes, grills, or static electricity

The resulting fire could be a sudden burst of flames (a flash fire) or a sustained fire spreading through flammable material inside and outside the home.

How Could Negligence Play a Role in a Natural Gas Fire?

Negligence is the legal foundation of most personal injury lawsuits and insurance claims. It’s a party failing to act reasonably, given the situation, by not doing something or not doing something well enough, given their relationship and obligations to others.

Many things could lead to a contractor striking a gas main at a work site, all of them preventable. Potential acts of negligence could include the following:

• Services that keep track of underground utilities, like gas mains, are available to tell people where they are. Failing to make an effort to at least try to find a gas main where there will be construction would be negligent
• Workers ignoring or misreading areas marked as having gas lines can lead to digging into the line or close enough to damage it
• Using heavy machinery (like backhoes or excavators) too close to a marked gas line instead of digging with shovels could be considered negligent
• Not surveying the site for utility lines before starting to dig
• Miscommunication between project managers, subcontractors, and equipment operators can lead to digging in unsafe areas.
• Time pressure or attempts to save money by rushing the work by ignoring safety regulations can lead companies to strike gas mains
• Primary contractors are responsible for subcontractors. Lack of oversight or failure to ensure they follow proper procedures would be negligent
• Continuing to perform work after a gas main is discovered or is punctured would be negligent

We thoroughly investigate all the factors that led to house fires and explosions that impacted our client’s lives. The facts we uncover are the basis for insurance and legal claims that can compensate our clients for the harm they suffer.

Get The Legal Help You Need

If you’re injured in a gas explosion or a family member was killed in one, you may be entitled to compensation. To talk to an experienced personal injury attorney about your situation, contact our Louisville law offices online or call us at 502-589-5600 (Toll free at 855-385-9532). We can discuss your case, how Kentucky law may apply, and how you should proceed.