Trumbull, CT (Fairfield) House Explosion w/ Fire

[Guest]

From the Incident Alert Page for CT...

Date: 06/23/07

Time: 1845

Location: 28 Dogwood Lane

Frequency: 33.560

Units Operating: Nichols Engines 301, 303, Truck 304,Trumbull Center Engine 101, Long Hill Ladder 204, Shelton Engine 35

Description Of Incident: Explosion in Basement fire in Basement and 1st floor, Major structural damage. Interior crews withdrew after knocking down majority of fire, and once the structure was deemed compromised.

Writer: Ltgreg

few photos...

Note the insulation in between the sill plate and foundation wall.. You can't really see it but there is also an electrical wire exposed. The house literally jumped off the foundation.

[x635 4,066]

Wow! That was certainly something!

What was the cause?

[IzzyEng4 427]

Every time I leave the state something like this happens!

[helicopper 1,050]

Every time I leave the state something like this happens!

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Maybe the insurance industry will take up a collection to keep you home!!!

[IzzyEng4 427]

Maybe the insurance industry will take up a collection to keep you home!!!   

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YAH RIGHT!!! LOL

[Ltgreg 2]

The Trumbull Fire Marshalls are still investigating the cause. There were both Propane appliances and an Oil fired furnace in the basement.

[Guest]

From what I've heard.. Propane gas line, that was terminated without a cap. Item in the basement fell hitting the propane shut-off which basically started spewing liquid LP into the basement. One of the occupants went to wash the dishes, which fired the water heater... BOOM.. Occupants reported the cellar door bursting open followed by a huge fire ball. Amazing that everyone escaped pretty much unharmed. If they had waited a while to do dishes, that house would have ended up being a toothpick factory.

Here's an impressive display of power.. this is a pic of the garage. The blast happened on the "D" side of the house. The garage is on the "B" side. So this is on the opposite end of the house.

Nice bulge out huh? on the exterior walls of the garage, you can see the walls had moved a good 3/4 of an inch off of the foundation (you could see the paint line on the concrete where the walls had been painted). Very impressive.

Edited June 25, 2007 by LongHillFD.com

[DOC22 1]

We had a call a few years back, where a guy had 15 cans of spray paint which he placed atop the furnace to "warm them up a bit" so he could paint part of his car in the garage. the cans got a little too warm and, bear in mind they were in the basement, the force of the explosion blew the front door (on the first floor) about 30 feet from the house. Miraculously the worst of injuries was fright.

[Guest BFD196]

I guess those occupants will never look at washing some dishes the same way again.....they're very lucky.