Gas line explosion destroys New Jersey home, injures seven workers

A “rather large� gas line explosion in central New Jersey injured seven workers and wrecked parts of a suburban condo complex Tuesday afternoon, authorities said.

Flames, debris and dark smoke soared into the Ewing Township sky about 12:50 p.m., and video from the scene showed fire crews still dousing the rubble with water two hours later.

Public Service Electric & Gas Co., the energy utility for the area, said in a statement that a contractor reported damage to the gas line shortly before noon. Workers were repairing the damage when the explosion occurred. Two PSE&G employees were hospitalized for non-life-threatening injuries, the utility said.

Three other workers were injured, Ewing Police Lt. Ron Lunetta said at a televised news conference. Two of the contractor’s employees were also among the seven injured. At least one of the workers was set to undergo emergency surgery, WCAU-TV reported, citing Capital Health Hospitals.

Lunetta, who identified the contractor as Henkels & McCoy, said the company was tying to fix a “power problem� when one of the workers drilling in the area “felt he had struck something.�

What caused the explosion is unclear, Lunetta said.

Ewing Township said several roads were closed in the area. Scenic Drive to Route 29 and Bear Tavern Road from Route 95 to Nursery Road were among those closed.

The address where the work was taking place, 28 Crockett Lane, is described in property records as a two-story home, part of the South Fork condo community just west of Interstate 95. The home was destroyed, Lunetta said. The extent of damage to neighboring structures wasn’t immediately available.

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