A contractor working for the gas company over pressurized a low pressure gas line, resulting in gas discharges from the meter as the meter's regulator tried to cope with pressures that the meter isn't supposed to see. Many older gas services installed before the 1960s have meters located inside the house, and when the over pressurization caused these meters to vent, the gas vented inside the house, resulting in fires and explosions. Those with meters outside that vented, were probably ok.