Review Blames Utility Crew for South Indiana Gas Blast

State investigators have determined that a natural gas utility committed safety violations before an explosion that destroyed a southern Indiana home and injured six people.

The state Pipeline Safety Division’s review found crews for a subsidiary of Evansville-based Vectren Corp. damaged the New Albany gas line while doing drilling work and didn’t alert emergency officials about a gas odor ahead of the Nov. 8 explosion.

Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission spokeswoman Danielle McGrath tells the Evansville Courier & Press that the agency will review whether Vectren should face any penalties.

Vectren spokeswoman Chase Kelley says the utility determined human error was to blame and that it has taken steps to prevent similar mistakes.

Only one of the six people hurt in the explosion needed overnight hospitalization.