Mississauga house explosion: Determining cause 'will take some time'

Police in Mississauga, Ont., say it "will take some time" to determine the cause of last week's powerful house explosion that killed two people and left more than two dozen homes badly damaged.

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"[Investigators] are looking at all evidence that has been collected," Peel Regional Police Sgt. Josh Colley said during a news conference Monday afternoon. "They are still working on the cause of the explosion, and that will take some time."

The bodies of Robert Nadler and Diane Page, both 55, were found late last week in the wreckage of the house on Hickory Drive last Tuesday.  Page was found the day of the explosion. Police discovered Nadler's remains on Thursday.

The blast flattened the home and left more than two dozen other houses badly damaged. 

Nine other people suffered minor injuries in the explosion that rained debris over a wide area and forced the evacuation of dozens of homes. 

More than 700 addresses were no-go areas in the days after the blast; that number is down to 69 now, officials said Monday. That includes residents from 32 apartments in a nearby building and 37 other homes.

Some residents allowed to return, collect items

But many of those homes are still too damaged to allow the owners to return. Others will be allowed to return for short, supervised visits to collect personal items. 

"The homes will then be turned over to their insurance companies so they can be boarded up and secured," said Mississauga fire chief Tim Beckett.

He said building engineers will decide which houses near the blast site can be repaired, and which will have to be entirely rebuilt. 

Beckett said the on-site portion of the Ontario Fire Marshal's investigation into the explosion is now complete. Pieces of the house that exploded and those close to it have been removed as part of the investigation. 

He thanked the residents of Hickory Drive for their patience.

"It's been a traumatic time for them," he said. "They've been patient and understanding as we work through this event."

Mississauga Coun. Chris Fonseca said a meeting for residents affected by the blast will be held Monday evening at the Burnhamthorpe Community Centre (1500 Gulleden Dr.). A mobile information station will remain near the explosion site until Wednesday.