Investigators Dig for Source of Basement Explosion

PECO and L&I are working with fire investigators to help identify the cause of a minor explosion in the basement of a building in Northeast Philly on Tuesday

PECO and Licenses and Inspection are working with fire investigators to help figure out what caused a minor explosion in the basement of a building in Northeast Philadelphia on Tuesday.

The building houses an MRI business -- Pennsylvania Open MRI. PECO crews were digging into concrete next to the building on Wednesday to see if the utilities underground could help them figure out the cause. Executive Fire Chief Richard Davison tells NBC10 that it appears there was electrical activity in the basement when the explosion happened. He says investigators are trying to determine if the explosion could have been caused by gas or wires.

Davison says fire investigators do not think the explosion was related in any way to MRI equipment inside the business.

The blast happened shortly before 4 p.m. in the basement of Pennsylvania Open MRI. It's located at 6579 Roosevelt Boulevard.

The MRI business and two adjacent businesses -- a Wine & Spirits store, along with a communications business -- remained closed on Wednesday. L&I had people on the scene because the buildings housing the MRI company and Wine & Spirits both have structural damage.


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