Saturday, January 24, 2015

GASOLINE VAPORS DURING CAR MAINTENANCE CAUSE EXPLOSION ON PLEASANT AVENUE IN KALAMAZOO, MI BADLY DAMAGING GARAGE



GASOLINE VAPORS DURING CAR MAINTENANCE CAUSE EXPLOSION ON PLEASANT AVENUE IN KALAMAZOO, MI BADLY DAMAGING GARAGE




January 23, 2015

KALAMAZOO, MI -- Mae Baker was sitting in her home on South Westnedge Avenue watching a movie while her granddaughter played quietly on the floor in front of her. It was then, Baker said, her neighbor's garage exploded. 

"I thought somebody had crashed into the side of my house," Baker, 46, said. "I settled my grand-baby down and went looking through all the windows." 

"Then I heard fire engines; it was like somebody had kicked at my front door and was trying to break in."

At approximately 7:00 p.m. Friday, the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety responded to the 600 block of Pleasant Avenue on reports of an explosion, according to KDPS Lt. Matthew Huber.

There they found the flaming remnants of a garage.

"Most of the fire was contained to the front of the garage and garage door," Huber said at the scene. "We put it out within a couple minutes."

According to Huber, two people were home during the explosion. A preliminary investigation suggests the explosion was caused by gasoline vapor.

"The homeowner said he was in the garage working on his car," Huber said. "He was putting an engine in a Durango when gasoline vapors filled the garage.

"(The vapors) ignited and exploded," Huber added. "The three (garage) walls were completely blown out or collapsed in and the back door of the residence exploded into the house.



"It was quite the explosion."

Huber said no one was injured, even though the homeowner was standing at the front of the garage as it exploded. 

"He was a little rattled but he's unhurt at this time," Huber said of the homeowner. "I don't know how."
The explosion is still under investigation, according to Huber.