A criminal investigation into who was responsible for a massive explosion that leveled several buildings and killed a volunteer firefighter last July has concluded that no crime was committed, Sun Prairie Police Chief Patrick Anhalt said Thursday.
Instead, police said, a broken chain of communication between utility contractors and subcontractors resulted in the location of a gas line being improperly marked prior to the July 10 explosion.
“There is not probable cause to believe a crime was committed,” Anhalt said at a news conference at Sun Prairie City Hall. “As a result, the investigation is now classified as inactive.”
Anhalt, who was joined by state fire marshal Tina Virgil, Det. Sgt. Ryan Cox and Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozanne, declined to take any questions after the brief announcement.