Fremont, CA – A powerful propane tank explosion Saturday evening at a Fremont home badly burned one occupant and blew the home’s garage door across the street before flames engulfed the entire residence causing $600,000 in damage, according
to fire officials.
The homeowner sustained second-degree burns and was taken to Santa Clara Valley Medical Center. The man’s wife and son were unharmed.
The four-alarm fire, which began at 372 Camphor Ave. around 7:45 p.m. Saturday, has been deemed accidental, said Greg Dillingham, battalion chief
with the Fremont Fire Department. The fire threatened one other home in the Warm Springs section of town, but firefighters were able to protect the home and contain the blaze in about 45 minutes.
Investigators believe the blaze started with a leaky portable propane-fueled heater in the single-story home’s garage. Dillingham said the homeowner may have opened the door between the house and garage, providing just enough
oxygen to ignite the tank.
The blast disintegrated the garage immediately and sent the door into another property across the road.
Dillingham said the loud explosion and plume of smoke drew crowds to the fire. Investigators estimated the damages at $500,000 for the home and
$100,000 for the contents.