The explosion that killed a 19-year-old Philadelphia Gas Works employee and injured several others in January was sparked by a furnace inside a chiropractic office, the Fire Department said Friday.
The blast killed Mark Keeley of Fox Chase, a 2009 graduate of Cardinal Dougherty High School who had followed in his father's and grandfather's footsteps by joining PGW.
A high-pressure main broke shortly before 7:30 p.m. Jan. 18 on the 6900 block of Torresdale Avenue in the Tacony section, causing gas to accumulate. Fire officials and PGW crews evacuated about 40 residents and began trying to shut off the leak.
Officials have not given an estimate of how much gas leaked into the air, but a hazmat emergency was declared. The smell of gas was noticeable for blocks, officials said.