By Kim Kalunian, WPRO News
The Department of Environmental Management is blaming trapped gasses for a blast at Salty Brine State Beach earlier this month.
On Friday, the DEM said hydrogen combustion was the likely cause of the July 11 explosion that sent a Connecticut woman to the hospital with a concussion and fractured ribs.
They say the corrosion of an abandoned copper cable led hydrogen gasses to become trapped under the beach sand. Just days after the blast, officials dug up an old Coast Guard cable from under the surface of the sand. At the time, investigators ruled out the cable as a cause because it wasn’t live. Now, they say the cable’s corrosion was a contributing factor to the blast.
Officials say it’s “very unlikely” there will be another “combustion event.”
READ MORE:
- Explosion reported at Salty Brine State Beach
- Divers investigate jetty at Salty Brine State Beach
- Scientists join Salty Brine State Beach investigation
Last week, the DEM brought in scientists from the University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography and a soil scientist from the U.S. Department of Agriculture/Natural Resources Conservation Service. DEM officials now say the soil tests confirm that the hydrogen build-up was likely to blame.
In the days after the blast, officials quickly ruled out any explosive devices, malicious activity or geological event. They sent divers to examine the nearby jetty for “anomalies,” but the divers found nothing.
The incident on July 11 stunned beach goers and temporarily evacuated the area. The beach has remained open throughout the DEM’s investigation.
