SUN PRAIRIE, Wis. (AP) — A police chief says there will be no criminal charges against anyone related to an explosion in southern Wisconsin that killed a firefighter and leveled several buildings.
Sun Prairie Police Chief Patrick Anhalt said Thursday "There is not probable cause to believe a crime was committed."
Sun Prairie firefighter Cory Barr was killed in the July 10 explosion that destroyed a bar he owned, five other businesses and a home. Eleven other people were hurt, including five other firefighters and a police officer.
The explosion occurred after a subcontractor installing fiber communication lines struck a gas main. The gas ignited, sending a towering fireball into the night sky.
The police chief says the blast occurred after "incomplete and inaccurate information was exchanged and relied upon" by those working on the underground project.
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Investigators are planning to announce the results of a criminal investigation into an explosion that leveled a city block and killed a firefighter in southern Wisconsin.
Sun Prairie police have scheduled a news conference Thursday to reveal the findings.
Firefighter Cory Barr was killed in the July 10 explosion that destroyed a bar he owned, five other businesses and a home in Sun Prairie, a city about 15 miles (24 kilometers) northeast of Madison. Several other emergency workers were hurt.
The explosion occurred after a subcontractor installing fiber communication lines struck a gas main. The gas ignited, sending a towering fireball into the night sky.
Court documents show a utility-location worker failed to properly mark a natural gas line prior to the explosion. The search warrant request showed investigators were looking for evidence to support a homicide charge in the case.
