COLUMBUS – A man who admitted that he damaged natural gas pipes in an East Side duplex days before it was leveled by an explosion that injured two people has been charged with aggravated arson.
Fire and Explosives Investigations Unit investigators determined that the explosion at 464-466 N. 20th Street on the morning of June 22 was the result of a broken natural gas pipe in the basement of 464 N. 20th Street, Division of Fire spokeswoman Rebecca Diehm said.
Tests conducted by Columbia Gas of Ohio and the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio found an elevated rate of gas flow readings for that address beginning on the morning of June 20th between 2:00 and 3:00 a.m., Diehm said.
After interviewing witnesses, investigators determined that Marcus Lorenzo Taylor was a person of interest in the incident.
Fire investigators found Taylor, 34, early on June 29, and questioned him.
Taylor admitted that he damaged the pipes while trying to remove them pipes to sell as scrap for money. Diehm says the admission led to Taylor being arrested on aggravated arson charges.
While the damage to the pipes led to natural gas filling the house with fuel, Diehm says the source of the heat or flame that set off the blast is still under investigation.
Vernice Hill, 36,and Dontaye Conner, 34, were inside the duplex at the time of the explosion and were pulled from the debris by neighbors and police.
Conner was in critical but stable condition at OSU Wexner Medical Center while Hill was listed in serious condition.