When a Home Explodes, Finding the Truth Is Only Beginning.
A natural gas explosion lasts only seconds. The devastation lasts forever. Families lose loved ones. Homes are reduced to rubble. Survivors are left with catastrophic burns, life-changing injuries, unimaginable grief, and one haunting question:
How could this happen?
Finding that answer requires far more than reviewing a fire report. It requires preserving evidence before it disappears, challenging assumptions, uncovering hidden facts, and identifying every individual and corporation whose negligence contributed to the tragedy.
At Petersen & Petersen, that is where our work begins.
Every Explosion Tells a Story.
The first explanation is not always the correct one. Natural gas explosions may result from improperly installed or removed appliances, uncapped gas lines, defective valves, leaking connectors, faulty equipment, negligent maintenance, or failures in training and supervision. Determining the true cause requires a prompt, independent investigation involving experienced engineers, fire investigators, forensic experts, and trial lawyers working together to preserve evidence before it is lost. Because once critical evidence disappears, it may never be recovered. Or so people think.
The Truth Was Under the Concrete
One of our most significant cases began with a catastrophic explosion that destroyed a family’s home. An 87-year-old husband died. His wife escaped only moments before the home became engulfed in flames. The Ohio State Fire Marshal concluded the explosion originated from an uncapped natural gas line left behind after a delivery crew removed the family’s gas dryer while installing a new electric dryer purchased from a national retailer. Years later, the defense offered a different explanation. They retained a nationally recognized fire cause and origin expert who testified that the Fire Marshal had overlooked the true source of the explosion. Pointing to photographs taken after the blast, he identified what appeared to be a metal pipe beneath the basement fireplace. He testified it was a natural gas line and the probable ignition source. If he was right, responsibility shifted away from those we believed were responsible. There was one problem. The house had already been demolished. Most people believed it was too late to know the truth. Attorney Todd Petersen disagreed.
Believing the original foundation might still remain, he drove to the property while a new home was being built. Standing beside what remained of the basement, he asked the contractor a simple question. “Would you cut the fireplace out of the concrete?” The contractor agreed. The fireplace foundation was carefully cut free. It was lifted. Then it was turned over.
There was no gas line.
The object the defense expert had identified under oath as the probable ignition source was nothing more than steel supports for the fireplace grate. An entire theory disappeared the moment the concrete was flipped over. The evidence had not been destroyed. The defense just didn’t think anyone would bother to dig it up.
Our investigation did not end with determining how the explosion occurred. Through years of discovery, sworn testimony, and corporate records, Petersen & Petersen uncovered evidence concerning the companies responsible for removing the family’s gas appliance. The investigation revealed allegations involving inadequate training, failures in supervision, negligent hiring practices, and systemic safety failures throughout the delivery chain.
These cases are rarely about a single mistake. They are about understanding every decision that allowed the tragedy to occur.
Experience Matters
Natural gas explosion litigation is among the most complex cases in civil practice. Evidence disappears quickly. Critical decisions must be made immediately. Success depends upon preserving the scene, working with the right experts, challenging accepted assumptions, and preparing every case as though it will ultimately be tried before a jury. If you or someone you love has been seriously injured or killed in a natural gas explosion or fire, we encourage you to contact Petersen & Petersen as soon as possible.
We offer free consultations, and there are no attorney fees unless we recover compensation on your behalf.
The Investigation Made the Difference
The case ultimately resolved for $17 million. The settlement mattered. But it is not the reason we tell this story. We tell it because it reflects who we are. We believe the strongest cases are built by asking one more question… examining one more piece of evidence… and refusing to accept the first explanation simply because it comes from an expert or a corporation.
The first story is rarely the full story.
We Dig Deeper.