Pleasant Grove house explosion caused by natural gas leak

PLEASANT GROVE — Fire officials have determined that a natural gas leak likely caused a home to explode Thursday.

"We're calling it accidental at this point," Pleasant Grove Fire Marshal Steven Brande said Friday.

"It was probably just a natural gas buildup that ignited," he said.

Authorities have not identified an ignition source, according to the fire marshal, but have pinpointed the home's furnace as the point of origin for the explosion.

A vacant house at 415 S. 100 East was completely destroyed in the 7:40 p.m. blast. The home's detached garage sustained heavy structural damage and will be demolished, Brande said.

Other homes and businesses near the 80-year-old house also suffered minor damage, Brande said.

"Nobody was injured," he said. "We were really lucky."

The explosion was felt by residents for miles.

Officials said a brother and sister had recently lived in the house, but the woman died a few months ago, and the elderly brother had moved out. The house had undergone some recent renovations; however, Brande said none of the work was being done near the furnace.

— Geoff Liesik