Ida Grove, IA – Officials ruled the explosion that destroyed a travel trailer and injured its occupant was an accident.
The incident happened about 5:30 p.m. Sunday in Cobb Park in Ida Grove, Iowa.
The Ida County Sheriff’s Office announced today that an uncapped gas line was to blame for the explosion.
According to the statement, the owner of the vehicle did not cap a propane gas line when installing a mini-refrigerator in the unit. The new appliance, which did not require a gas line connection, replaced one that did.
The explosion happened when the occupant, Patrick Streiff of Winterset, Iowa, turned on the gas to use the hot water and sparked the explosion when he attempted to light a cigarette.
Police say Streiff received second-degree burns to his hands, arms and face.