A public works company, assigned to conduct earthworks using a mechanical shovel, accidentally hit the connection to natural gas-powered boilers, causing an explosion followed by fire. The pipeline was torn at the level of the station’s input flange. The boiler room, juxtaposed with a building, was half sunken into the ground. The company had filed a works authorisation request with the gas utility and possessed a map of the utility network lines. A fire-fighter declared having seen flames surge forth from a duct in the boiler room. Gas would have likely spread via the PVC tube surrounding the burst pipe and diffused through a crack in the duct heading towards the boiler room. The heating unit, which relied on atmospheric burners, depended for its air supply on another duct dropping to ground level, while the upper ventilation consisted of a 2 m x 2 m chimney anchored at the level of the flat ceiling. Gas ignited when in contact with an electric motor or the flame from a burner. Six employees, including 4 members of the worksite crew, were slightly injured.