Sign up for the Today newsletter
Get everything you need to know to start your day, delivered right to your inbox every morning.
Home explodes in Maine, injuring one
A home in Oakland, Maine, was leveled in a Thanksgiving Day explosion, officials said.
A house exploded in Maine on Thanksgiving, injuring one person and spreading debris throughout a residential neighborhood.
The explosion occurred at 36 Lakeview Drive in Oakland, Maine. First responders were called to the location at about 3:40 p.m. Thursday, according to Oakland Fire Chief Dave Coughlin. Those who first arrived at the scene found the home totally leveled, and that properties on both sides of it sustained substantial damage.
One man was in the home at the time. He was first transported to a hospital in Waterville and then flown to another hospital in Portland. He remained there as of Friday afternoon. Coughlin could not comment on the extent of his injuries.
Advertisement:
The blast was so powerful, it blew out glass windows and doors at neighboring homes and caused ceilings to collapse. Despite this, no one else was injured, Coughlin said.
“We’re fortunate that there was only one injury, especially with it being Thanksgiving and not knowing if people are having family gatherings, things like that,” he told Boston.com.
Coughlin described the home as a single-story ranch with a garage addition that had a second floor. After the explosion the building was “gone,” he said.
Fairfield Benton Emergency Services, which helped respond to the emergency, posted images on social media of the scene.
Advertisement:
Firefighters worked to extinguish burning debris and safely remove propane tanks from the property, Coughlin said. The cause of the explosion has yet to be determined. Officials from the office of the Maine Fire Marshal and the Maine Fuel Board were investigating the scene Friday morning.
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com