Readlyn, IA – Authorities think a gas leak may have caused a house explosion in Readlyn (REED’-lin) in northeast Iowa.
Two people escaped the blast unharmed about 6:30 a.m. Saturday.
Fire Chief Jimmy Hyde says fumes from a propane tank leak apparently collected in a crawl space under the home. He says a sump pump kicked in, which ignited the fumes.
Hyde says the crawl space and combustible materials were damp because of rain, which limited the spread of the flames. However, the explosion blew out a wall and buckled a floor.