Deadly gas leak blamed on dry soil

AUSTIN (KXAN) - The natural gas leak that caused a deadly explosion at an Austin house last month was caused by shifting soil due to the drought, an investigation released Friday by Texas Gas Service showed.

"An investigation has been performed by an independent third-party expert firm with experience in investigating incidents of this type," the company said in an email. "It concluded: 'Likely contributing cause of the break in the main on January 9, 2012, was shifting soil due to severe drought conditions followed by rainfall.'”

The investigation also confirmed that a service line leak reported on Nov.25 did not cause the explosion, the gas company said.

Renald Ferrovecchio of 1712 Payne Ave. died during the early morning explosion that leveled his home. The neighboring home was also damaged, and people as far away as a mile said they heard the blast.

A natural gas odor at the house leveled by Monday's deadly explosion was first reported to Texas Gas Service on Nov. 25, the company said in a statement issued Tuesday afternoon.

The company it visited the house that day and scheduled a repair. The repair effort had begun and was under way when the explosion that left one dead occurred.

The gas company's investigation report has been submitted to the U.S. Department of Transportation and to the Texas Railroad Commission.