The person killed in an explosion at a home in Newcomerstown has been identified as 77-year-old Dean Taylor.
The Tuscarawas County Medical Examiner's Office identified the man Thursday. His cause of death is undetermined at this time.
The explosion happened around 9 p.m. Tuesday on South Beaver Street. Crews removed Taylor's body from the home early Wednesday morning. A man who identified himself as a friend of the victim said the man lived alone with his dog.
Newcomerstown students returned to classes Thursday after the explosion closed schools for a day.
Newcomerstown school administrators said the buildings were inspected and were cleared to resume normal activities.
Columbia Gas released a statement Wednesday evening, saying their investigation showed that their facilities did not contribute to the explosion.
Our thoughts are with the community and families dealing with the loss and impact of this tragic event. We want to assure our customers and the community of the safe operation of our system and our commitment to continue to deliver on those expectations.
Columbia Gas of Ohio assisted the Newcomerstown Fire Department, the State Fire Marshal’s Office and the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio in the investigation of an incident that occurred at 540 Beaver Street in Newcomerstown, Ohio.
We conducted a thorough inspection of our facilities in the area and confirmed they are safe. The results of our investigation also indicate that our facilities that serve the community did not contribute to the incident. As our part of the investigation concludes, we will continue to support the Newcomerstown Fire Department and the State Fire Marshal’s Office as they complete their investigation.
The Division Of State Fire Marshal continues to investigate the cause.
