Home Demolished In Suspected Natural Gas Explosion

One man was injured and a family left homeless after a suspected natural gas leak resulted in an explosion that destroyed his home over the weekend. The man is reported to have suffered burn injuries in the natural gas explosion.

His son and wife escaped without injury after the blast set their home on fire around noon on Sunday. Neighbors reported hearing the blast as well as feeling its effects as windows and doors shook from the percussion.

Responders were unable to enter the home and several smaller fires continued to challenge the fire response teams after the main blaze was extinguished. Initially, responders believed the injured man may have still been in the burning home; witnesses reported seeing him re-enter after successfully evacuating through a window. But it was later confirmed that he had again made it out safely and no entry by rescue personnel was necessary.

The explosion reportedly lifted the house right off its foundation, setting it back down slightly askew of its base. What was not destroyed by the fire was left unstable by the blast and resulting movement of the home. An excavation crew was on standby to completely demolish the house once an all-clear was sounded by the fire department.

A spokesman from the local sheriff’s office confirmed that gas had been smelled near the blast and that a natural gas explosion was considered to be the likely cause of the home explosion.

Source: The Republic, “Natural gas suspected in blast that levels home in Washtenaw County, injures male resident,” July 7, 2013