PUCO Cuts Columbia Gas Fine For UA Home Explosion

The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio has fined Columbia Gas 200 thousand dollars for failing to properly disconnect a service line into an Upper Arlington home that exploded last March. The commission voted yesterday to cut the fine in half in order to avoid a possible lawsuit. The fine was first recommended by commission staffers. As part of the deal, the company must implement safety programs to avoid future problems. The agency says the failure caused 9 million dollars in damage to the Sunningdale Way home and more than two dozen neighboring properties.