Morning Headlines: Rowhome Explosion and Collapse Update


For prior coverage of the South Philadelphia rowhome explosion and collapse, go here.

The latest news on the home that exploded yesterday, 428 Daly Street, and the collapse of the surrounding homes, 426 Daly and 430 Daly, is that 428 was under renovation by four permitted, licensed contractors hired by property owner SCK Investments, aka Steve D. Finney. L&I reported that three of the four had finished work on the building. The contractor for the fourth who was critically injured was working on a hot water heater in the basement at the time of the blast. The city released a statement saying the explosion was a result of natural gas. Further investigation into how the gas leaked will continue today.

The eight injured are all in stable condition.

As of last night, residents of the south side of the street were still evacuated due to a lack of power. Those on Wolf Street and on the north side of the street have been allowed to come home.

We’ll have more about SCK and Steve Finney later today. Stay tuned. Meanwhile…

Foobooz reports that L2 at 22nd and South is closing. The corner restaurant/var has been L2 since the late ’90s.
• According to Sean Collins Walsh over at the Daily News, PHL Local Gaming, whose casino pitch is for Front Street and Packer Ave., “wants you to know something: They’re local.” Hence the name?
• The formerly wretched Ivy Ridge nursing home is being turned into 32 homes called Kingsley Court. But the project is delayed due to asbestos and permitting, and the developer tells NewsWorks’ Alan Jaffe, “I’m not very happy.”
• Bizarrely, Philadelphia only has one domestic violence residence, and now, writes Tara Murtha, Sojourner House is getting a much needed expansion. It only took 33 years.