Feds determine cause of explosion, fire at Kansas auto parts store; over $800K in damage
A federal U.S. agency determined that a February explosion at a downtown Hutchinson auto-parts store was caused by an underground natural gas leak, according to a preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board.
The Monday report said damages from the blast are estimated to be at $875,000. Fortunately, no one died or was injured in the incident.
Firefighters were called, on Feb. 22 at 9:26 a.m., about a gas odor at Steffens Auto Parts, 428 S. Main in Hutchinson. Crews arrived at 9:33 a.m. and called the gas provider. At 9:47 a.m., firefighters reported smelling a strong scent of natural gas around the building.
“As part of the emergency response to the gas odor report, HFD personnel entered a one-story commercial building,” the report said. “HFD personal gas monitors alerted immediately to the presence of natural gas, and the lone occupant of the building was subsequently evacuated. Seconds later, the building exploded.”
The building explosion occurred at 10:05 a.m., causing a fire and evacuation of the area, the NTSB said.
The city of Hutchinson said at around 11:50 a.m. that, because of “a large fire in the downtown area,” it was evacuating Avenue A to Avenue F and Plum to Adams, HFD chief Steven Beer previously said.
The incident left 18 businesses and one home without gas service, while authorities worked to find the leak along the 10-inch steel natural gas line.
“ONE Gas excavated, exposing about 120 feet of pipe to evaluate the area for leak locations on the pipe or pipe damage along this gas main,” according to the NTSB. “During excavation of the pipe, a leak was found at a girth weld. ONE Gas personnel created and executed a plan to isolate the leaking segment of pipeline, or stop the flow of gas.”
The investigation into the explosion is ongoing.
“Future investigative activity will focus on previous failures and the leak history of the pipeline,” the report said.
This story was originally published March 18, 2025 at 6:53 PM.