The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has announced that a natural gas explosion that destroyed two five-story buildings in the East Harlem section of New York City was caused both by a defective pipe joint that allowed gas to leak from a gas main into the building, and an earlier breach in a sewer line that caused the gas main to sag and overstress the defective joint.

The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) has launched an initiative aimed at making sure the underground utility industry follows best practices for excavation, in an effort to save lives and avoid property damage.