Water Heater Work Causes Rowhouse to Explode
A South Philadelphia rowhouse exploded and collapsed in August 2013, sending eight people—including two infants–to the hospital and panicking neighbors who heard it from inside their homes. The blast destroyed three homes.
The explosion came from inside the basement of a home that was being rehabbed and was triggered by a contractor working on the water heater, Philadelphia Deputy Fire Commissioner Derrick Sawyer told NBC10. The contractor was critically injured, suffering severe burns to his shoulder and arms.
