Methane Suspected in Burger King Explosion

By Dave DeWitte, The Gazette

Firefighters investigate after a fire and explosion at Burger King, 3030 Mount Vernon Rd. SE, this morning, Friday, April 24, 2009. No one was injured. (Jeff Raasch/The Gazette)

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By Daren Sukhram

Story Created: May 20, 2009 at 5:24 PM CST

Story Updated: May 20, 2009 at 9:21 PM CST

CEDAR RAPIDS - Insurance investigators suspect methane gas as the cause of the explosion that shattered the Burger King restaurant at 3030 Mount Vernon Road SE on April 24.

Beaton Inc., the Cedar Rapids restaurant chain that owns the restaurant, confirmed Tuesday that it plans to rebuild or repair the heavily damaged restaurant soon.

"The whole thing is strange," said company President Perry Beaton, who received the report from Continental Western Insurance. Beaton said a natural gas leak had been suspected.

Rebuilding the restaurant should begin in about a month, and take about 100 days.

Methane is a odorless, explosive gas that is often encountered in sewers, underground mines, and landfills.

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