Canton, OH – A Canton area home is considered a total loss after it exploded just before midnight Friday.
Home owner Jean Godwin said she heard an explosion one that literally shook her house located less than 50 feet from the rental home that exploded on her property.
After hearing the explosion, she looked out her bedroom and back windows, but could see nothing. The next thing she heard was a knock on her door.
I have a security system and dont open my doors at night, Goodwin said. Then I heard a knock on front door and could see men with flashlights. I called my daughter to ask her if I should open the door and then I saw the flames. I screamed and dropped the phone.
Her alarmed daughter quickly got out of bed and drove over from Clyde.
The home that exploded was vacant, but was going to be rented in mid-December, when her son-in-laws mother was to move in, goodwin said.Those plans are canceled now.
Its a total loss, Goodwin said. Im not going to do anything to rebuild. The whole property, the two homes and 40 acres were for sale, but Beverly Hanks has pulled if off the market for now.
Goodwin said the fire definitely began in the house, but said there were two filled propane tanks in the back that were too heavy to move.
She is unsure whether they exploded because debris covers the area were they were located. She does know, however, the explosion was fierce enough to blow out all the windows, take part of the roof off and even blow the cover off the heavy cement septic tank behind the rental house. Where it went, nobody knows.
There were five firetrucks responding to the call about midnight Friday, including from Canton, Clyde, Junaluska, North Canton and Center Pigeon.
The caller stated that they heard explosions and could see flames, said Bill Poole of the Canton Fire Department.
Poole added firefighters took all regular precautions when battling the blaze and were able to get it knocked down pretty quickly.
I would say within probably 10 minutes of the call the fire was under control, he said.
Poole said that while the home was a total loss, no other buildings were damaged and the cause of the fire is still under investigation.