How to protect your home from natural gas leaks

SOUTH JORDAN, Utah – Since the moment I was a teenager killed in a house explosion in South Jordan caused by a natural gas leakMany have expressed concerns about the safety of their own homes.

“When you consider that statistically the chances of something like this happening in your home are incredibly low, and I mean the statistics are so cold in a situation like this,” Utah State Fire Marshal Ted Black explained.

While home explosions due to leaks are extremely rare in the state, Black urges homeowners to take precautions when it comes to natural gas.

“We strongly recommend that you keep all storage away from gas appliances and keep six feet away from your furnace, water heater and fireplace if you have one,” he said.

Surveillance camera video shows house explosion in South Jordan:

RAW VIDEO: Home explosion that kills teenager caught on video

Utahns should also be careful to properly maintain all equipment.

Black said investigators are still working to determine the source of the natural gas leak in South Jordan as well as its source of ignition.

“We fix it, we can correct it and then make sure it doesn’t happen again,” he said. “And that is the goal here. We investigate fires to improve the situation for people.”