Huntingdon, NY – By Lisa Munoz, Daily News Staff
It was perhaps the mother of all alarm clocks.
Neighbors on a leafy Huntington street awoke with a bang yesterday when an unoccupied house on Sapphire Place exploded, blowing its roof, windows and walls in all directions.
“It was your classic propane explosion,” said Officer Bob Boden, a Suffolk County Police spokesman.
The owner, John Ronan, had been renovating the house and preparing to move in with his wife, who is 8 months pregnant, cops said. Ronan did not return calls for comment.
Police said propane explosions happen very easily when gas levels build up because of leaks or other emissions of propane.
All that’s needed for an explosion is a tiny electrical charge, Boden said.
The house, a tan split-level sheltered by several large trees, looked as though a bomb had ripped through its center.
The propane explosion caused a short but powerful blast of fire and extensive damage. Pieces of insulation glass and drywall were strewn about on a back deck.
With the roof caved in and the walls crushed, a wrecking team was assembled a few hours after the accident, ready to tear down the structure.
“It was loud,” said Michael Weinstein, who lives across the street from the exploded house. “At first, I thought it was a crash up on Jericho Turnpike.
“There’s glass shards and other debris all over my lawn,” he added.