State investigators couldn’t figure out who is responsible for the explosion that left 22 people injured with the evidence they have, and unless there is new evidence, the case will remain closed.
According to a recent Florida Department of Financial Services report, an open natural gas valve at the vacant Pizzafire shop in the Market on University plaza caused the 11:28 a.m. explosion.
Investigators reported they just don’t know who opened the valve at the north end of the plaza. They do suspect it was done that morning.
“A valve to the gas line on the rear of the building was opened, most likely to the fully-open position,” investigators wrote in the report, adding that “the only plausible explanations for the sudden opening of the gas valve is that it was opened on purpose through direct human intervention."