Nine people ages one to 66 were hospitalized after a house exploded on Christmas day. Two of the nine tragically died on Saturday. Both had burns covering over 90% of their bodies. Two others were critically injured, including the baby. Our thoughts are with the family.
Propane Gas Leak Possible Cause
The preliminary investigation found evidence that the explosion was caused by a propane gas leak. The ignition may have been someone turning on the stove.
Fire marshals have combed through debris to try find where the leak occurred. Investigators did not say if anyone smelled the odorant added to propane prior to the blast. Propane is odorless, making it undetectable if there is a leak. To make a leak detectable, a chemical odorant is added to the propane to make it smell like rotten eggs. Read more: “Why didn’t we smell propane gas before the house blew up?”
If there is not enough odorant or if the chemical odorant becomes less strong, a house could be filled with propane gas and no one would know. Any spark could ignite the propane gas, causing the house to explode.
The investigation needs to find the source of the leak and determine if there was sufficient odorant. There may be more than one business legally responsible for the explosion.
Neighbors are collecting donations for the victims.
