State changes guidelines after ConAgra collapse

The North Carolina Building Code Council voted Tuesday to alter its standards to require that workers who are purging indoor gas lines vent the gas to a safe place outside the building. It said workers should take proper precautions if venting is not possible, including the evacuation of nonessential personnel.

The June explosion at a ConAgra Foods Inc. facility in Garner caused part of the building's roof to collapse, killing three workers and sending dozens of others to the hospital. Investigators believe contractors installing a water heater vented natural gas inside the building, leading to the blast.