YOUNGSTOWN — An Enbridge Gas spokesperson said Wednesday that the company’s effort to shut off the natural gas to a home on Garfield Street on the South Side that exploded Sunday night was hampered by debris that made the gas meter inaccessible.

Among the details contained in a Youngstown Fire Department report was that most firefighters had left the scene after responding to the home and finding it destroyed by explosion despite natural gas to the home not yet having been shut off.

It stated that Enbridge arrived and began to search for the curb shutoff at the corner of the structure, but the “shutoff was not located.” The report noted that firefighters could smell natural gas, and the “gas leak remained active through the remainder of the emergency.”

Enbridge spokeswoman Stephanie Moore emailed The Vindicator on Wednesday to provide an update. She stated that “the gas shutoff for this service line was at the meter, and the meter was inaccessible due to fallen debris.”

She added that “The customer service rep remained on the scene until another crew could cut and abandon the service line, which is standard under these circumstances.”

The Vindicator reported that Enbridge said it would remain at the scene until the gas was secured, and caution tape was stretched around the scene.

The fire department reported the damage to the structure was $94,800 and the loss to the contents was $20,000.