Excerpts from the journal times.com: A recent criminal investigation into the cause of a devastating explosion that destroyed multiple buildings and claimed the life of a volunteer firefighter in July has concluded that no criminal activity was involved, according to Sun Prairie Police Chief Patrick Anhalt. The incident was traced back to a communication breakdown between utility contractors and subcontractors, which led to an improperly marked gas line before the explosion on July 10. Abigail Barr, the wife of Captain Cory Barr of the Sun Prairie Volunteer Fire Department—who died in the blast—has filed a lawsuit against VC Tech, Bear Communications, USIC Locating Services, and We Energies, claiming they are responsible for her husband’s death. The lawsuit alleges negligence and failure to properly locate underground utilities, which led to the tragic accident. In addition to Abigail Barr, two volunteer firefighters, Ryan Welch and Greg Pavlik, have also filed personal injury lawsuits against the same four companies, citing their injuries sustained during the explosion. A police report released on Thursday revealed that the failure to mark a critical location where a Verizon fiber-optic cable was being installed—crossing the path of the gas line—was due to a subcontractor dropping out of the project. As a result, the company responsible for marking the pavement did not complete the task. When the work was handed over to another subcontractor, the one working for Verizon assumed the utility locating had already been done. However, it hadn’t. The new subcontractor then accidentally struck the gas line, triggering the explosion that destroyed several businesses and injured many others. The state Fire Marshal’s Office stated in its final report that while investigators were unable to determine the exact cause of the gas ignition, they confirmed the explosion originated near the Barr House, located at 100 W. Main Street. This case highlights the serious consequences of poor communication and coordination among construction and utility companies, and raises important questions about safety protocols and accountability in such high-risk projects. Casting Molding Machine,Sand Casting Molding Machine,Sand Molding Machine,Automatic Station Molding Equipment Changzhou Qiaojie Casting Equipment Co., Ltd. , https://www.jsqiaojie.com
