Fitchburg auto body shop explosion was caused by natural gas leak

By Derek J. Anderson and Martin Finucane, Globe Staff and Globe Correspondent

An explosion at a Fitchburg auto body shop late Tuesday afternoon was caused by a gas leak, the state fire marshal’s office said today.

The explosion at the Victory Auto Supply-Speed Shop at 214 Lunenburg St. at around 5:21 p.m. Tuesday caused serious damage to nearby buildings and displaced about a dozen people, the Fitchburg Fire Department said. No one was injured.

After the blast, four buildings -- including the autobody shop -- were boarded up and flagged as unsafe, displacing about 10 to 12 people, said Deputy Fire Chief Kevin Curran. The Red Cross worked to find shelter for those unable to return to their homes, he said.

Other buildings in the area were also damaged by the explosion, which resulted in shattered glass and blown-out windows, Curran said.

The explosion was investigated by the Fitchburg police and fire departments and State Police assigned to the state fire marshal’s office.The Department of Public Utilities assisted in the probe and is conducting its own investigation, Fire Marshal Stephen Coan’s office said in a statement.