Cepeda-Freytiz bills to increase natural gas safety move through committee

Comes in response to tragic West Reading chocolate factory explosion

Rep. Johanny Cepeda-Freytiz    October 29, 2025 | 11:40 AM

HARRISBURG, Oct. 29 – Two years after an explosion at the West Reading R.M. Palmer Chocolate Factory killed seven people and injured 10 others in March 2023, a National Transportation Safety Board investigation found the explosion to have likely been caused by a degraded natural gas connection. Due to this tragic accident, two bipartisan bills introduced by state Rep. Johanny Cepeda-Freytiz to address the causes of the incident have moved out of committee.

“Our community continues to mourn the death of the seven employees killed in this accident and feel the impact this accident has had on us,” said Cepeda-Freytiz, D-Berks. “The NTSB has made lifesaving recommendations following this incident, and these bills would ensure that we learn from this avoidable tragedy and prevent this from happening again.”

The bills in this legislative package moved out of committee include:

  • House Bill 1525: Would require all owners and operators of pipelines transporting steam located in public rights-of-way to register with the Pennsylvania One Call System so that property owners and construction workers know where steam lines are located.
  • House Bill 1526: Would require the Pennsylvania Public Utilities Commission to work with natural gas pipeline operators to develop guidance and management programs to address threats to degrading plastic pipelines, such as those that degraded and leaked natural gas, leading to the factory explosion.

The bills moved out of the House Consumer Protection, Technology and Utilities Committee, and will now move to the full House for consideration.

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