WTNH News Channel 8 / News / 1999

	Gasoline responsible for deadly blast, but source unknown (Danbury-WTNH) _ Investigators have figured out what triggered Wednesday' deadly explosion in Danbury. They say it was gasoline, not natural gas. And it came stream under the building which may have been contaminated with gasoline. If that's the case where did it come from and how can similar incidents be prevented? News Channel 8's Christina Hager reports. Venancio's Wine & Liquor is now just a heap of rubble following Wednesday night's explosion which killed two people and injured 11. Today investigators determined the cause. They say fumes from an underground waterway ignited. Somehow gasoline got into that waterway, which is part of the city's sewer system. Rain caused that water to rise, apparently pushing the fumes up into the building. A gas heater mounted on the wall apparently ignited the fumes and caused the explosion. Investigators are now trying to figure out how the water got contaminated. They have traced it upstream a couple of blocks. It could have been a leak, or gas dumped into the water. The Danbury Health Department has investigators looking into it. There are also state DEP and federal EPA investigators on the scene. Three people remain hospitalized at Danbury hospital, one is in serious condition. Another person is in intensive care at Bridgeport hospital. There were three residential apartments in that building. The Red Cross is helping those residents find new homes. Today's News Page. WTNH Home Page. ©1999 WTNH/WTNH-DT A LIN station.

Gasoline responsible for deadly blast, but source unknown
(Danbury-WTNH) _ Investigators have figured out what triggered Wednesday' deadly explosion in Danbury. They say it was gasoline, not natural gas. And it came stream under the building which may have been contaminated with gasoline. If that's the case where did it come from and how can similar incidents be prevented?
News Channel 8's Christina Hager reports.

Venancio's Wine & Liquor is now just a heap of rubble following Wednesday night's explosion which killed two people and injured 11.

Today investigators determined the cause. They say fumes from an underground waterway ignited. Somehow gasoline got into that waterway, which is part of the city's sewer system. Rain caused that water to rise, apparently pushing the fumes up into the building. A gas heater mounted on the wall apparently ignited the fumes and caused the explosion.

Investigators are now trying to figure out how the water got contaminated. They have traced it upstream a couple of blocks. It could have been a leak, or gas dumped into the water.

The Danbury Health Department has investigators looking into it. There are also state DEP and federal EPA investigators on the scene.

Three people remain hospitalized at Danbury hospital, one is in serious condition. Another person is in intensive care at Bridgeport hospital.

There were three residential apartments in that building. The Red Cross is helping those residents find new homes.

Today's News Page.

WTNH Home Page.