Photo courtesy of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio

First responders work on site of homes in Hudson, Ohio that were leveled when a contractor struck an Enbridge natural gas pipeline that was not correctly marked.

Inaccurate marking of an Enbridge gas pipeline in Hudson, Ohio, was the primary factor in a contractor strike that led to an explosion on June 25, destroying three homes and damaging 36 others, a Public Utilities Commission of Ohio investigation said.

Future Communications, which was installing fiber optic lines in the town about 30 miles north of Cleveland, struck the 2-in. Enbridge natural gas distribution line while boring conduit. The bore head left a 4-in. gouge in the line, allowing gas to migrate into the unoccupied house that exploded about 52 minutes after initial damage was reported.…