Lava Hot Springs, ID – People in Lava Hot Springs woke up Tuesday morning to a loud bang. It turned out to be a natural gas explosion from an apartment near the popular Hot Pools.
Firefighters say the man living in the apartment tried to ignite the pilot light on his furnace causing the explosion just after 7 a.m.
The apartment and the store in front of it were destroyed. Windows were also blown out in nearby buildings. Some windows were shattered as far away as 500 feet from the blast.
55 year old Ralph Nelson was in the apartment and walked out of the rubble and was taken to Portneuf Medical Center with severe burns. No word on his condition. No one else was hurt.
Neighbors say the explosion sounded like a sonic boom and can’t believe this happened in their small town.