State investigating two companies in Durham explosion

Two companies are under investigation by the state Department of Labor in connection with a fatal gas explosion in Durham two weeks ago.

Posted 7:47 p.m. Apr 26, 2019 — Updated 11:25 p.m. Apr 26, 2019

Cullen Browder

, WRAL anchor/reporter

DURHAM, N.C. — Two companies are under investigation by the state Department of Labor in connection with a fatal gas explosion in Durham two weeks ago.

The April 10 blast rocked the area west of downtown Durham. A coffee shop owner died in the explosion, and a PSNC employee died of his injuries this week. About two dozen others were injured.

The Labor Department opened an investigation into PS Splicing LLC, an Oxford-based company that does work installing underground lines, on April 18. PS Splicing reported via the NC 811 app on the morning of the explosion that a gas line had been cut, and the company's owner was among those injured.

A second investigation was opened on Tuesday into Optic Cable Technology Inc. Few details are available on the Durham company.

The investigation codes in both cases relate to underground digging and boring, which would take place during the installation of new fiber lines. Records show the location of both incidents as 117 N. Duke St., next door to where the blast occurred.

A Labor Department spokeswoman confirmed that both investigations are related to the explosion.

Plans to dig up the gas line for possible clues to what caused the explosion have been put on hold.

Dominion Energy obtained a city permit to excavate the site and was supposed to start the process Tuesday, but city officials said that has been delayed. Representatives of the Durham Fire Department, the North Carolina Utilities Commission and the U.S. Department of Transportation will also take part in the investigation.

Durham Fire Chief Robert Zoldos said his investigators have a pretty good idea what caused the spark, but they won't release that information until the investigation is completed.

Eight of the nine firefighters injured in the explosion have returned to work, Zoldos said.

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