Following the announcement that the Public Utility Committee was investigating the role of natural gas in a Harrisburg house fire last week, UGI has confirmed that an employee was there before the fire.
UGI spokesman Joseph Swope released a statement that an employee was at the home in the 1600 block of Sycamore Street in Harrisburg on Friday, April 5.
The fire broke out around 2 p.m., and took more than 90 minutes to be fully knocked down.
Swope said the employee performed a routine inspection, which involved a visual inspection and leak check of the home’s inside natural gas meter and associated piping leading to the meter.
A flashlight and natural gas detection device were the only tools used in the inspection, Swope said, and these types of inspections are done regularly.
The homeowner was notified of the inspection by a letter sent to before the visit and the employee was allowed into the home by a resident, Swope said.
The employee completed the inspection, informed the resident that the equipment passed inspection and left, Swope said.
“UGI is continuing to cooperate with fire and regulatory authorities in support of the ongoing investigation,” Swope said.
The Public Utility Commission said Tuesday that along with checking if natural gas was involved in the fire, they would check if there were violations of any state of federal pipeline safety regulations.
Harrisburg Bureau of Fire is also investigating the fire.
No injuries were reported in the fire, but several people were displaced.
