NEW ALBANY, IN (WAVE) - On a day when New Albany was focused on which candidate would win the Mayor's race, a massive explosion changed the attention that day, as a block was on edge after a home exploded, destroying it and damaging another home.
In the nearly three months since that's happened, an investigation has been conducted and it names the cause of the explosion, and ultimately points the finger at who's to blame.
It happened in the 300 block of Woodrow Avenue in New Albany.
"We're getting back to normal now," said Woodrow Avenue resident Mike Wathen.
Woodrow Avenue in New Albany is a quiet community where neighbors know one another.
"I say thank you to all the people who helped me. They help me a lot," said former resident Marco Guerrero. He, his sister, brother-in-law, cousin, niece, and nephew were all forced from their rented home on Election Night because of an explosion.
A raging fire tore through their home, with its walls blown out and debris everywhere.
The five family members and a utility company employee would go to the hospital -- everyone would survive.
The house was destroyed, and had to be torn down. It's now an empty corner lot, with straw covering grass seed.
While the lot is empty, it hasn't been forgotten about: a just-released 19 page report from the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission's Indiana Pipeline Safety Division blames the crew working in the area that day.
"Miller Pipeline this is Jerry how may I help you," an official said when WAVE 3 called Indianapolis-based Miller Pipeline.
The report says "the crew didn't locate, excavate, and expose the existing main" and that "as a result of the breach, leaking gas migrated to the nearest home and accumulated in such a quantity to allow ignition, causing an explosion."
To those claims from the state, Jerry from Miller Pipeline said, "no comment." When WAVE 3 said, "There are some pretty significant things that it says your crews failed to do the right thing and you have no comment about that," to which he said, "no I do not."
The report goes on to say "The Miller Crew failed to call Vectren when the breach was discovered. Had they done so, perhaps efforts would have been made to evacuate sooner, and reduce the risk of injuries."
"I haven't seen it yet," Jerry said.
And as a result, Miller Pipeline couldn't say if they'd challenge the findings. They also didn't want to talk about if they're helping the family who lost everything.
"That's not anything I'd discuss with you," Jerry said.
WAVE 3 has since learned that Miller Pipeline is actually owned by Vectren -- the utility company that serves that area in New Albany, and was having Miller Pipeline do the below-ground work.
Vectren says its Miller Pipeline division will not challenge the report from the state.
A Vectren spokesperson wouldn't say if they've disciplined the employees working on November 8, 2011, saying it's a "personnel matter."
They would say they've been helping the family who lost their home, but the Guerrero family has since hired a lawyer.
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