Composite story
Cleveland says the Rainbow Terrace blast cause is still undetermined
Cleveland, OhioPublished 28 Sep 2026
On Monday Cleveland released a 15-month investigation of the June 2025 Rainbow Terrace explosion. The official cause is undetermined. Enbridge pointed to a leak in building-owned gas piping. PUCO found no violation that caused the blast but flagged problems afterward.
Cleveland officials said Monday, Sept. 28, 2026, that a 15-month investigation could not determine what caused the June 23, 2025 explosion and fire at Rainbow Terrace Apartments in the Garden Valley neighborhood. One person died. Fire investigators described a likely natural-gas buildup ignited by an unknown heat source. Enbridge said the apparent cause was a leak in customer-owned piping, not its own lines. The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio found no compliance failure that caused the blast and still cited problems in the response after it. Sources disagree on whether dozens or more than 100 people were displaced.
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‘Undetermined’: Cause of deadly Rainbow Terrace explosion remains a mystery, report reveals post-blast failures
Published 28 Sep 2026 accessed 28 Sep 2026
Facts
Cleveland 19 said the press conference would be at Cleveland City Hall at 11:30 a.m.
Mayor Justin Bibb, Safety Director Wayne Drummond, Interim Fire Chief Vince DiTeodoro, and the Fire Investigation Unit were expected to attend.
Bad GIS mapping led to a 20-hour uncontrolled gas leak after the explosion.
A mapping error caused first responders to shut off gas to the wrong building.
Piping evidence was mishandled or destroyed before it could be properly tested.
The building where the explosion happened has been demolished.
Cleveland 19 said it had asked the building owner, American Community Developers, for comment.
The owners have said they plan to rebuild the units.
Councilman Richard Starr said many residents have had to start over.
Starr asked residents to bear with the city while it finds what caused the fire.
Starr said he hopes tenants eventually get answers.
Opinion
Starr said a fire investigation of this size takes time to reach actual justice.
Report on Rainbow Terrace blast points to gas leak but says cause ‘undetermined’
Published 28 Sep 2026 accessed 28 Sep 2026
Facts
The explosion injured four other people.
The investigation included probes by Enbridge Gas Ohio and the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio.
The city is holding a public meeting on the findings and recovery Oct. 8 at 5:30 p.m. at the Zelma George recreation center.
Bibb said the investigation took longer than officials wanted.
A meter inspection 21 days before the explosion did not find leaks.
The apartment building is privately owned and income-restricted.
Bell said the explosion left her children with burns that required surgeries.
Bell said her child lost his father in the explosion.
Kyonna Bell, a 30-year Rainbow Terrace resident, demanded that city officials explain who was responsible for the blast.
A former Rainbow Terrace resident pressed the city for answers just before Monday’s release.
Bell said no one has explained what happened or the cause of her losing everything.
Starr urged the Bibb administration to share what it knew about the case.
Bibb said Monday is one part of the support the administration will provide.
Bibb asked anyone with more information about the blast to share it with the city.
Starr asked investigators questions Monday and declined to talk with a Signal Cleveland reporter afterward.
At the news conference, Mayor Justin Bibb offered a response to Kyonna Bell’s public comment.
Opinion
Mayor Justin Bibb called the undetermined conclusion deeply frustrating.
Bibb said people deserve clear answers.
Richard Starr said families had every right to be angry.
Bibb told Bell she deserves accountability, transparency, and continued support.
Cause of deadly Rainbow Terrace Apartments explosion remains undetermined
Published 28 Sep 2026 accessed 28 Sep 2026
Facts
The gas buildup was in two of the complex’s buildings.
Zimmerer said a light switch, an appliance turning on or off, or a refrigerator cycling on all could have ignited the gas.
The explosion and fire were in Cleveland's Garden Valley neighborhood.
Dornat Drummond said deciding whether a gas pipeline failed, why it failed, and whether Enbridge complied is the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio’s responsibility.
Drummond said Enbridge conducted the inspection with PUCO oversight.
Drummond said PUCO is the final decision-maker on gas pipeline failures.
Former residents and Councilmember Richard Starr pressed the city to release the investigation results.
Drummond said federal rules required Enbridge to investigate a pipeline incident that caused a death or an inpatient injury.
Enbridge hired S-E-A, Ltd. to inspect and test evidence under NFPA 921.
Rainbow Terrace resident Cordale Sheffield, 32, died weeks later from injuries in the blast.
Zimmerer said an undetermined title does not mean the investigation is closed.
Opinion
Drummond said he hopes releasing the reports gives this stage of the investigation some finality and lets the community keep healing.