Five people were injured in an explosion at the Springfield Inn, in Mansfield, Ct on October 21. All five of the injured sustained serious burns and were transported to hospitals.
The propane explosion took place in the kitchen around 4:45 p.m. as preparations for an event were underway. The Windham Area Interfaith Ministry was expecting 75 guests for the event that was to begin at 5:00 p.m., but only about 25 people were in the building when the blast occurred.
Hartford News Explosion at Spring Hill Inn in Mansfield injures multiple people https://t.co/IGQ2HwrBT6 pic.twitter.com/IoPoM4RWn6
— Hartford News (@Hartford_NC) October 22, 2017
Cafémantic restaurant, on Main Street in Willimantic, was catering the event. Owner Andrew Gutt, who was supervising the staff, was airlifted to Rhode Island Hospital which has an accredited burn center. One person was transported to Hartford Hospital, and three were taken to Windham Hospital. All of them have been released and are continuing their recovery at home, according to a posting on the restaurant’s Facebook page.
Authorities say the explosion was due to the build-up of propane gas, but they aren’t yet sure why it accumulated or the source of its ignition. The Mansfield Fire Marshal’s Office and Connecticut State Police Fire & Explosion Investigation Unit are investigating.
Hotel Fire and Explosion Information
Damage to the inn was limited to the kitchen and basement areas, fire officials said in a statement on Facebook. The kitchen is the leading area of origin for fires occurring in hotels and motels, with two of every five hotel fires starting in the kitchen, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).
Cooking equipment is the leading cause of hotel and motel fires, staring more than half of them. Fires originating from cooking equipment account for 27 percent of injuries and 25 percent of deaths associated with hotel and motel fires, according to the NFPA.
On average, there are about 3,520 hotel and motel fires in the U.S. each year. These fires result in an annual average of 120 injuries and 9 fatalities according to the NFPA.
Injuries from fire are one of the commonly filed claims against hotels, according to Fred Pritzker, an attorney who represents clients nationwide who have been injured in explosions and fires. There are three key elements to building a successful case for these claims, Pritzker said:
- gathering evidence
- determining all liable parties
- hiring experts.
The explosion lawyers at Pritzker Hageman always conduct an independent investigation when they are representing a client who has been burned in an explosion or fire. The firm has the resources to cover the expenses associated with these investigations during the litigation process. Our attorneys aren’t paid unless they win. To contact them for a free consultation about an explosion or fire lawsuit, call 1 (888) 377-8900 or complete the form at the bottom of this page. The call is free, the consultation is free, and there is no obligation.
Recent Hotel Fires and Explosions
Butterfly Inn in Oak Creek Canyon, AZ
Two people suffered burn injuries in a propane explosion at the Butterfly Inn in Oak Creek Canyon, AZ on November 18, 2016. One person was airlifted to the Arizona Burn Center, the other was transported to Sedona Emergency Center.
A fire followed the explain which occurred in an employees-only building on the property located in the 9000 block of North State Route 89A.
Boyne Highlands Ski Resort Fire
Twelve people were injured in a fire at Boyne Highlands ski resort in Harbor Springs, Michigan on December 12, 2016.The injured guests were all transported to nearby hospitals, one of them was later airlifted to a larger hospital.
Ramada Inn in Vineland, NJ
A fire at a Ramada Inn in Vineland, NJ on February 24, 2017, injured two people including Johnathan Rodriguez, a police officer who ran into the burning building to save sleeping guests.
Officer Rodriguez was treated for smoke inhalation at Inspira Medical Center Vineland. The injured guest, who suffered burns and smoke inhalation, was initially taken to Inspira and later transferred to the burn center at Crozier Chester Medical Center in Chester, Pa.
Firefighters rescued some guests who were hanging out of second-floor windows with ladder trucks. Investigators said they would try to determine whether the building had properly functioning smoke alarms.