Bensalem gas station blast that killed a man ruled accidental

BENSALEM, Pa. (AP/WTXF) - Officials say they have recovered the body of a worker who was trapped underground by a gas explosion in Bensalem.

MORE: 1 injured, 1 trapped after Bensalem gas station explosion

The explosion happened around 5 p.m. Tuesday.

Officials identify the victim as Joe Vigilante who was a co-owner of the Liberty gas station. Vigilante was down below near an 8,000 gallon gas tank housed in a cement fault before the explosion. He'd gone to mop up water in the vault. Public Safety Director Fred Harran says he was trapped was under heavy concrete that was blown apart in the blast.

Another worker identified as 63-year-old Frank Tomaselli was left with burns to more than 45 percent of his body.

Bensalem Fire Rescue along with the ATF has determined the explosion was an accident. They say an electric shop vac (vacuum) was being used in the underground vault to remove water when gasoline vapors ignited.

The explosion has been ruled accidental.