One person was killed and 15 people were injured in an apparent natural gas explosion that flattened a New Jersey home and forced the evacuation of several surrounding buildings on Wednesday, officials said.
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The individual had not been home at the time of the explosion, a spokeswoman for Mayor Chris Bollwage said.
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Kayon Pryce, who owns the house next door, said the blast knocked him over.
None of the victims had been identified yet but Bollwage said that it appeared all of the victims were inside the two-family duplex that exploded. “I was on the phone and the phone blew out of my hand”. Thirty people were displaced by the explosion, Bollwage reportedly said.
If something is obviously wrong, like sparks or flames, you should evacuate the house immediately, warn others nearby and then call 911 from a safe location.
Elizabethtown Gas spokesman Duane Bourne said Thursday that the utility would not speculate on the cause of the explosion. Bollwage and Elizabeth Fire Chief Thomas McNamara said that fact may have helped prevent the loss of more life and damage to neighboring buildings, which stand about 10 to 12 feet apart. If you would like to discuss another topic, look for a relevant article.
Other signs of a leak include dirt and dust blowing from a hole in the ground or bubbling in wet or flooded areas.
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“I came from the back of the house, and it’s bad”, he said. “At first, I thought it was a small quake or something”.
