Copper thieves may have caused Akron explosion
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AKRON — Akron fire officials are trying to determine whether copper thieves caused a vacant house to explode this week.
Arson investigators say thieves may have removed copper piping from the home, releasing gas that exploded Friday, sending the home’s walls crashing into neighboring houses and trees. No one was hurt.
Fire department spokesman John Gordon says if thieves had been at the house, they apparently got away unharmed.
Motivated by high prices for scrap metal overseas, scrappers have undertaken increasingly risky heists in the past few years.
Akron fire officials say a final determination for the cause of the explosion is expected in a few weeks.
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