Lansdowne home explosion sends worker to hospital with burn injuries

Home explosions occur far too frequently in the United States.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, fire departments in the United States respond to an average of one home fire every 88 seconds. Between 2012 and 2016, fire departments responded to an average of 355,400 home structure fires per year, fires that caused 11,670 civilian injuries, 2,560 civilian deaths, and $6.5 billion in direct damage.

Here is a look at two recent home explosions from July 15, one on the East Coast and one on the West Coast:

Lansdowne home explosion
sends man to hospital

From WBAL-TV News, Baltimore: A Lansdowne home explosion in suburban Baltimore sent a man to a burn center.

Firefighters were called around noon for a home explosion with fire in the 4200 block Twin Circle Way. The bulk of fire was extinguished by 12:22 p.m., officials said.

Fire officials said a maintenance worker who was reportedly working at the home at the time of the incident was taken to the Johns Hopkins Bayview Burn Center.

Lansdowne home explosion:
Family escapes unscathed

Officials said that a family of four was able to evacuate the house. Family members said they were shaken up, but they escaped without being harmed.

“The employee sustained burn injuries which are pretty serious. He was transported to the burn unit,” said Nicholas Tyson, a spokesperson for the Baltimore County Fire Department. “Fortunately, the family of four did make it out.”

Homeowner Edmond Booker said he was at work when he got a call telling him his house had exploded. He said he rushed home to check on his family. “(I’m) just glad everybody’s safe,” Booker said.

Lansdowne home explosion:
Nearby homes also damaged

First-arriving crews reported heavy fire with the back wall in danger of collapse. The home suffered heavy damage. Crews found no extension of the fire into adjacent buildings.

The front and back of one of the townhomes were blown out, and there was residual damage to neighboring homes.

Neighbors said they heard a loud boom shortly after noon. As they came out of their homes, they saw the fire. Some called 911 and reported smelling a gas odor just before the sound of an explosion. Firefighters arrived and found flames coming out of a second-floor window.

“Crews realized it as a gas-fed fire, so they got the gas shut off before they made entry,” Tyson said. “They fought in a defensive mode of attack – that means they fought the fire from the outside until they got the gas shut off.”

At the request of the Baltimore County Fire Department, crews from Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE) were called to the scene. After checking the home, a BGE spokesperson said crews were unable to find any gas-related issues.

“We had called to get some service done to our house, regular upgrade, tile and stuff to the tub,” Booker said. “This is the result.”

Lansdowne home explosion:
Incident ruled accidental

For Booker, comforting his wife and son became the priority of the day. “I just wanted him to see that nothing’s on fire and making sure it’s all out,” Booker said of his son.

Booker said he’s also thinking about what he has. “I’m just blessed, man,” Booker said. “My wife and son are OK. The rest is all material.”

Fire investigators said Thursday that they have determined the cause of the explosion to be accidental. They said chemicals ignited during a bathtub refinishing.

A Lansdowne home explosion in suburban Baltimore sent a maintenance worker to the hospital with burn injuries. Officials ruled the explosion accidental.

SoCalGas worker identified
in Murrieta home explosion

From KNBC-TV, Los Angeles: The Southern California Gas Company technician killed in a natural gas explosion that destroyed a Murrieta home and significantly damaged neighboring ones was identified as Wade Kirkpatrick.

Kirkpatrick, 31, died in the blast, which leveled the two-story property in the 23500 block of Wooden Horse Trail and injured 15 other people.

According to SoCalGas spokesperson Christine Detz, Kirkpatrick had been with the company for 11 years, starting his career as a meter reader. He was a lead technician at the time he died.

Kirkpatrick is survived by his mother, a sister and six brothers, one of whom also works for SoCal Gas, Detz said.

According to Murrieta Fire and Rescue, the three firemen who suffered minor injuries when the explosion occurred were treated and released from Inland Valley Medical Center in Wildomar.

SoCal Gas representatives said a technician who was hurt in the blast has also been released from the hospital. There was no word on the status of the nearly dozen civilians who suffered varying injuries, none life-threatening.