Ocean City, MD – Shawn J. Soper, The Dispatch
The investigation into the cause of a propane gas explosion two weeks ago at a West Ocean City restaurant, which sent two men to the hospital with burns over 40 percent of their bodies, continued this week with the identity of one of the victims still unknown.
On Friday, June 24 around 5:30 p.m., Bo Hao Zhu, the owner of the new Miyako Japanese Steak House in the old Ocean City Marlin Club building on Route 50 in West Ocean City, and another unidentified man were working on gas cooking grills in the as-yet-unopened establishment when propane ignited, resulting in a burst of flames producing third degree burns to 40 percent and 50 percent of their bodies, respectively.
The Ocean City Volunteer Fire Company was dispatched to the scene for a reported fire alarm, and first-arriving units discovered the two badly burned men, who were ultimately transported to the Johns Hopkins Bayview Burn Center in Baltimore. The two men remained in critical condition this week with the identity of the second victim still unknown. According to the Worcester County Fire Marshals Office, the second victim was still listed as a John Doe as of Wednesday afternoon.
The Fire Marshals Office continues the investigation although officials believe the gas leak ignited touching off the explosion. Until investigators can talk to either of the victims or both, the investigation remains open.
We really cant close the books on it until we have the opportunity to speak to the victims, said Fire Marshall Jeff McMahon.