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Investigators say natural gas sparked Joliet house explosion

JOLIET – Investigators determined a buildup of natural gas sparked the explosion that destroyed a house on Monday.

But the cause of the buildup of gas has not yet been traced.

“The cause is still undetermined, but we have ruled out that it was set intentionally,” Fire Chief Joe Formhals said Thursday.

The buildup occurred in the basement of the property in the 700 block of Lambeth Lane.

Formhals said the department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms concluded their joint investigation and have turned over their findings to an insurance company that will work on the property.

“They’ll be removing all of the appliances from the basement to have them tested at an independent facility,” Formhals said. Fire investigator reports noted the furnace of the home was installed recently.

Just before 2 p.m. Monday, a loud boom and a series of other explosions erupted from the two-story home. Neighbors came outside to see the house collapse in flames before firefighters arrived.

No one was home at the time and no injuries were reported. The family cat has not been seen since the blast, Formhals said. The house next door also was damaged.

The house is owned by Frank and Natalie Klimala.

The two-story, four-bedroom home was built in 1997. Like many of the nearby homes in the Edgecreek neighborhood, the house was half-brick on a half-acre lot. Only a backyard gazebo remained standing after the explosion.

In the aftermath of the explosion, Nicor Gas examined its gas lines in the area and did not find any leaks.