WEST PARK, Fla. – Four people, including two children, were injured after an explosion leveled a house and damaged neighboring homes and cars early Tuesday morning in Broward County.
Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Michael Kane said there was a fiery mushroom cloud, but when firefighters arrived at the house in West Park there wasn’t a fire.
Kane said three of the victims who suffered burns were at Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center in Miami and the other person injured was at Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood.
“The injuries range from significant to life-threatening,” Kane said.
Witnesses nearby reported something had blown up, so Broward firefighters and deputies responded shortly after 12:30 a.m., to the house at 5241 SW 20 St., about a block away from the Central Missionary Baptist Church.
“The home was completely destroyed; it appeared to be by some type of gas,” Kane said.
Witnesses as far as neighboring Pembroke Park, Hollywood, and even northern Miami-Dade County reported hearing a bang and feeling structures shake.
West Park Commissioner Joy Smith lives only blocks away from the explosion. She was on scene overnight and came back during her lunch break just to check on her neighbors.
“I was so scared I thought a bomb was dropped here,” she said. “People are very much nervous and scared, and trust me, we need help.”
Kane said the “isolated” incident remained under investigation by the State Fire Marshal. Firefighters suspected a propane gas leak was likely to blame.
“We just know that the explosion was caused by some type of gas,” Kane said.
Deputies plan to keep the area of 20 Street and 52 Avenue closed through Wednesday during the investigation.
Three houses have been marked unsafe: the two on either side of the home that exploded and a third across the street.
The Red Cross said it will be assisting six people who live in those homes.
Detectives were asking anyone with information about the case to call Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-8477.
Additionally, a GoFundMe page was started by one of the families living in an adjacent home that was deemed unsafe to help with expenses.
Morning news conference (Unedited video): Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Michael Kane
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