Newaygo County, MI-
WOOD TV -Fire investigators now know more about what caused a weekend house explosion that critically injured two people in Newaygo County. Investigators say the family was using an old propane tank to power their home. The tank leaked, and pilots on the cooking range sparked the gas.
A mother and daughter remain in critical condition after they were burned in that explosion.The explosion happened Saturday on an Amish farm in Newaygo County. On Sunday, neighbors around the farm prayed for the family, while members of the Amish community prepare to help each other through the tragedy.
Four people were injured Saturday in the farmhouse explosion. A pregnant mother and her four-year-old daughter were airlifted to Spectrum Butterworth. Two other children were treated for minor injuries in nearby Fremont.
Ekkel said, “There’s a lot of people praying for these folks.” Ekkel drove the father of the family along with others to Grand Rapids to be with their loved ones. He gave them a Bible to read on the way. “The girls in the back were praying and the husband was sitting quietly in the front seat reading the Bible,” said Ekkel.
Members of the Amish community are very reluctant to speak on camera, but they tell 24 Hour News 8 that Leona Miller, the mother who was eight and a half months pregnant and injured in the explosion, had her baby. She gave birth to a boy who weighs five pounds, 14 ounces, but she is still fighting for her life.
The Amish don’t have home or medical insurance, but they have each other. 24 Hour News 8 spoke with one Amish family who told us that everyone will pitch in to rebuild the Miller’s home and help pay for their medical bills. They say that is the Amish definition of insurance.
Meanwhile, neighbors are praying for Leona Miller, now a mother of 11, who remains in critical condition.
The Amish family we spoke with says they expect that Leona’s newborn baby will be fine. Meanwhile, Leona’s four-year-old daughter, like her mother, remains in critical condition, as they recover from severe burns.