Officials say the explosion that destroyed a house and rocked the North Winton Village neighborhood last week was intentionally caused by the man found dead in the rubble of that building.
Randal Jackson had been living at that house at 64 Illinois Street, and officials from the Rochester Fire Department and Rochester Gas & Electric determined that the gas service was tampered with inside the house. They say the gas meter’s pressure regulator had been removed causing a free flow of gas into the structure.
Officials also say the gas vent piping was also tampered with, and a piping fitting area was stuffed with what appears to be paper towels, possibly to prevent the release of gas and the odor of gas traveling from inside the house to the exterior.
A dog earlier reported missing was found last Friday tethered behind the detached garage. Officials say the dog was placed in a protective area behind the garage by Jackson before the explosion. The dog was turned over to a friend of Jackson's.
The cause of Jackson’s death is still pending the investigation by the Medical Examiner.
The Democrat & Chronicle has reported that Jackson had been fighting foreclosure for more than a year but ultimately lost the house in a judgment entered this past June, and it was sold at auction last week.
