Home Gas Explosion Leads to Death

Home Gas Explosion Leads to Death
Two passing motorists pulled 84-year-old Robert Silvy from underneath the rubble of his burned-down home in Ponca City. A day later, Silvy passed away at Via Christi Hospital in Wichita, Kansas as a result of his severe burn injuries.

According to David VanBuskirk, Ponca City’s fire marshal, the explosion was sparked from a valve that was turned on for a gas line running into the kitchen, rather than directly to a wall heater. Ponca City’s Fire Chief Butch Herring also stated that the age of the house’s plumbing was a concern. Silvy’s bungalow-style home was located in an older neighborhood where many homes have been standing since the 1930s.  The explosion also affected neighboring houses, as the house north of Silvy’s home sustained major surface damage from the explosion and fire, and the house to the south also had fire damage and had its windows blown out.
Factors causing or contributing to gas explosions resulting in burn injuries or death have included improper gas line locations, faulty parts and equipment, improper maintenance, and defectively designed stoves and other heating implements.
If you or a loved one has been the victim of a gas explosion and would like to speak with an attorney, contact us by email or call (617) 742-1900. If you are outside the Boston area, call toll-free at 1-800-545-3732. We are here to answer your questions and protect your legal rights.
By James A. Swartz of Swartz & Swartz, P.C. – Permalink