A Washington County-based oil and natural gas company is donating 250 methane detectors for homes in Plum’s Rustic Ridge neighborhood where six people died from a house explosion Aug. 12.
Olympus Energy of Cecil Township gave the detectors to the Rustic Ridge Homeowners Association. Gov. Josh Shapiro and Rich Negrin, secretary of the state Department of Environmental Protection, announced the donation Friday.
“Our team is incredibly saddened by this horrific tragedy and have been looking for a way to offer support to the residents of Rustic Ridge,” Tim Dugan, president and chief executive officer of Olympus Energy, said in a statement.
“To further our commitment to safe homes and communities, today we are donating 250 home methane detectors to Rustic Ridge families to ensure every homeowner within the neighborhood has one installed in their home,” he said. “Olympus’ thoughts and sympathies remain with the residents of Rustic Ridge and the Plum community, as well as the first responders who came to their aid.”
Dugan could not be reached for more information Friday.
The residents will be receiving a Kidde carbon monoxide and explosive gas alarm, a DEP spokeswoman said. The devices plug in and have a battery backup.
According to the announcement, DEP personnel and the homeowners association will distribute the detectors to Rustic Ridge residents, while DEP experts will help residents find the best locations in their homes to install them. A distribution date was not given.
Negrin said he met this week with families in Rustic Ridge who are concerned about their safety following the explosion.
“It is imperative that as our investigations advance, we continue to do all we can to support this wonderful community,” Negrin said. “This is one of a number of efforts by the Shapiro administration to help provide resources to residents, and we will continue to work alongside our local partners, including Allegheny County, to support the Plum community.”
The monitors are described as combustible gas detectors.
While methane gas from a utility company is scented to help homeowners detect its presence, a combustible gas monitor will detect gas at very low levels and will detect sources of gas that are not odorized, such as gas emanating directly from wells or natural sources.
When combustible gas is detected, the monitors will emit an audible signal.
Two Plum officials, Borough Manager Michael Thomas and community development director Heather Oravitz, were killed in the explosion of the Oravitz home at 141 Rustic Ridge Drive. Oravitz’s husband, Paul, died from his injuries Aug. 16.
Also in the home and killed were neighbors Kevin Sebunia and father-and-son Casey and Keegan Clontz.
In addition to the Oravitz home, the Thomas home at 139 Rustic Ridge Drive and the home of Harrison and Kelly Smith at 143 Rustic Ridge Drive were destroyed. Ten other homes were left uninhabitable from damage sustained by the blast.
The Allegheny County Fire Marshal’s Office is continuing to investigate the explosion’s cause and origin.
The DEP started a stray gas investigation Aug. 14 to look for sources of combustible gas near the site and is inspecting nearby natural gas-related facilities and infrastructure under its jurisdiction.
Update from Peoples
In an update Friday, Peoples said it had conducted a review of its incoming calls and found it had not received any reports of a natural gas odor in Rustic Ridge on Aug. 12 or in the week prior.
The utility said it has been testing for stray natural gas in the area daily and has not detected any prior to, or since, the explosion.
It also has been reviewing the levels of mercaptan, the odorant added to natural gas, and found they are within the normal range.
The company said a review of its equipment and pipelines overseen by the state Public Utility Commission and other governmental agencies found its pipelines in the area were not, and are not, leaking. The pressure in its system was and continues to be at normal levels, the company said.
Peoples said it is reviewing service lines, which are pipes owned by homeowners that bring gas from the main gas line into homes, for leaks. Of the more than 200 homes inspected so far, the company said it found two service line leaks it described as “minor.”
Peoples said it is keeping crews in the Rustic Ridge neighborhood “out of an abundance of caution.”
“They are there to conduct detailed safety checks of our system and for residents, including your home service lines for anyone who is interested,” the company said. “We’re also working directly with the Rustic Ridge Homeowners Association to support the community’s needs.”
Multiple agencies participated in a resource center for Rustic Ridge residents Thursday in the gymnasium of the Plum municipal center. According to Allegheny County, 13 families registered during the event, which was held from noon to 8 p.m.
Brian C. Rittmeyer is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Brian by email at brittmeyer@triblive.com or via Twitter .
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August 26, 2023 at 03:01AM
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