April 3, 2008
Gas Explosion Levels Scarsdale House
Image from WABC 7
A Westchester County home nearly finished with construction was destroyed by a gas explosion this afternoon. Construction workers had smelled gas--perhaps after dislodging or cutting a gas line--and called the fire department.
According to WABC 7, the Scarsdale Fire Department had told the workers to leave, and the chief said, "As they were walking off the property and we were about to investigate, the house blew. We're very fortunate that nobody was hurt." Con Ed shut off the gas after the fire was put out.
The only part of the house that's still standing is a garage wall. The house had been under construction since October. Here are some gas safety tips from Con Ed, including "You can help protect our natural gas pipelines and other underground facilities from damage while digging. Call 811 two to ten days before starting any excavation activities on public or private property. It's the law."
Update: The NY Times reports the destroyed house was a $2.4 million home built on spec. The builder claimed the gas line was improperly marked, but Con Ed's spokeswoman disagreed, saying Con Ed had been on site earlier in the week and said, “Contractors are advised never to use a backhoe within two feet of a gas line. You do excavations next to gas lines by hand.”
The builder, Joe Daniel, said he has builder's risk insurance and would probably build the property again.
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Two and a half million for that MacMansion? You have to be kidding.
Well I guess they finished it off all right. With a little tape and spackle and a fresh coat of paint it should go for nearly three million given the market.
I love the smell of lawsuit in the morning.
booming real estate.
i feel bad i said that, its just that, its always explained as booming real estate if its popular but this home exploded and was real estate. i guess you had to be there.
Is gas explosion the new arson for the sub-prime era? Don't have to pay the arsonists and get a shot at suing a party with deep pockets. Who says humans don't evolve?
That house was worth less than a tenth of its going price.
5,000 sf on less than a quarter of an acre? No thanks.
That was done on purpose. There is no way you're getting 2.5 million for that house in Scarsdale, considering the rich amount of older, more tastefully designed housing around that area.
Totally an inside job. They probably realized they wouldn't be able to recoup the cost of even putting that thing up.
They blew it up! Those maniacs!