Hazel Park, MI – A natural gas leak may have caused the explosion Wednesday that injured a Hazel Park woman, her 2-year-old daughter and her brother and destroyed the family’s two-story home.
Amanda Nowaczewski, 30, her daughter and her brother Travis Raszowski, 22, were found in the backyard when the Fire Department arrived at the house in the 1400 block of East Maxlow Avenue shortly after 9 a.m..
Two of the victims — police declined to say who — were taken to Detroit Receiving Hospital for burn treatment.
Nowaczewski’s husband, Anthony Wyatt, and three of their children were not home at the time of the explosion.
Neighbors pledged to bring clothes and food for the family, who was staying with a neighbor.
“If Anthony wasn’t taking the other kids to summer school, it could have been a lot worse,” said Joanne Lasure, who lives nearby.
The explosion was under investigation Wednesday, but Hazel Park Fire Chief Ray DeWalt said he believes it was caused by a natural gas leak inside the house.
It was unclear if anyone from the home reported a gas leak, said Greg Meyer, area manager for Consumers Energy, but the company said it was checking its records.
Glass, window frames and other debris lined the street. Many neighbors said they felt the explosion.
“I heard a really loud rumbling and then it shook my house,” said Amy Cassidy, who was on her couch.