Timeline of events
April 24
3:34 p.m.: Stanley and Vita Barth call Con Edison after they notice electricity problems in their 260th Street home and smell a strong odor of gas in the neighborhood.
4:05 p.m.: A Con Ed inspector arrives at the home, smells gas and calls for backup, according to the utility. The inspector does not find a gas leak inside the Barths’ residence, but finds that gas levels at manholes outside the house are about 20 percent, which is above the acceptable zero level.
4:45 p.m.: Two backup inspectors arrive at the scene. One finds gas levels at the manholes were about 80 percent, a Con Ed spokesman said. One of the manholes was opened by an inspector.
4:50 p.m.: The two−story home belonging to the Boodram family explodes after the gas leak is detected near their house. The Barths’ home and two other bordering houses catch on fire. All but one of the homes are destroyed. Ghanwattie Boodram was inside her house and killed in the blast, while her husband and three sons were away. An 80−year−old woman, a Con Ed inspector and four firefighters were taken to the hospital for minor injuries.
9:16 p.m.: Nearly 170 firefighters put out the four−alarm blaze, according to the FDNY. Con Ed said it has been investigating the cause of the leak.
Source: Con Edison
