Explosion Levels a House in Poland

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Explosion Levels a House in Poland
Story from the WFMJ TV21 Web Site on 2/13/2010.

There is nothing left of the home which used to sit at 2816 Center Road, after a suspected gas leak caused the house to explode Saturday morning.

"It was very loud, it was a loud bang, it was very fast.", says Cheryl Solic, who witnessed the explosion from her home next-door.

"We immediately had fire throughout the house, and within a very short period of time, the entire front of the house collapsed.", says Fire Chief David Comstock, Jr., Western Reserve Joint Fire District.

When the first crews got on scene they opened the front door to the home and immediately smelled gas.  That's when they shut the door and say the home exploded, literally blowing firefighters away from the house and into the snow bank, trapping a few of them underneath the porch, which collapsed.

A handful of firefighters were taken to the hospital with minor injuries from battling the blaze, and being trapped under the debris.  Chief Comstock says,

"Three were released, two are still being evaluated but they were very fortunate, I have to say the Lord was looking down on them, because it could have been very serious."

Luckily, no one was inside the home when it blew up.  Neighbors say the family who lived there had trouble with their furnace earlier in the week, and reported a possible gas leak to Dominion East Ohio.  Apparently they had come back to check on their home right before it exploded.

"The mother and daughter of the home were very distraught, they were in a car over here, and of course they were very upset, crying and watching their whole house, and their whole life go up in flames.", says Solic.

We're told the family is staying with relatives.  Neighbors say someone from the city or county called to let them know about the leak, and told them to get away from the house minutes before the explosion.

Solic says the situation wasn't handled well-- especially since Dominion knew there was a gas leak in the home days ago.

"Somebody dropped the ball somewhere with notifying other neighbors that there was a gas problem over here.", says Solic.

Fire crews spent the rest of the morning dousing flames and smoke.  The Chief says gas is the primary suspect, and the home is a total loss.  The State Fire Marshal's Office and local Metro Arson Strike Force continue to investigate.

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Explosion flattens home
Story by JOE GORMAN in the Tribune Chronicle on 2/14/2010.

POLAND - Western Reserve Joint Fire District Chief David ''Chip'' Comstock says it's a miracle five of his firefighters survived an explosion at a 2816 Center Road home early Saturday morning that flattened the home.

Comstock said four of the firefighters were on or near the front porch, and a fifth was trying to shut off the gas at the home about 6:30 a.m. when the explosion occurred.

The firefighters had bumps, bruises and cuts, and one might have a broken nose, Comstock said. He said they were taken to St. Elizabeth Health Center and were treated and released.

''None of the big debris hit any of our guys,'' Comstock said. ''Honestly, it was a miracle.''

Comstock said investigators will be trying to figure out what caused high natural gas levels inside the home that probably led to the explosion.

Firefighters were called after the homeowner woke up to a cold home and went downstairs to check the furnace, Comstock said. He said she recently had work done on her furnace and when she checked it Saturday morning, she could smell gas and hear a hissing sound.

Comstock said she got her daughter, and they left the house. She called her son, who advised her to call 911. They waited while firefighters arrived and then gave them the keys to the house, Comstock said.

Four firefighters went to the door while a fifth went to find the shutoff valve for the gas. Comstock said their gas meters told them something was not right as soon as they opened the door.

''The gas meters started screaming at them,'' Comstock said.

The firefighters were backing up when the explosion happened, Comstock said. The home immediately caught fire and the remaining firefighters shifted to protecting the two adjacent homes as well as caring for their comrades, Comstock said. He said the neighboring homes sustained only minor damage.

Complicating matters was that it took three hours to shut off the gas entirely to the home because of the heavy snowfall, Comstock said. He said there were some fires that just could not be put out until the gas was off.

The fire chief stressed that anyone suspecting a gas or electric problem in their home should call 911 and leave right away. He said firefighters are trained to investigate such problems.

jgorman@tribtoday.com

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Neighbors near Poland house explosion shaken but thankful
Story by John Goodwin in the Youngstown Vindicator on 2/14/2010.

POLAND — Those living close to a house that exploded early Saturday morning see much to be thankful for amid the broken windows and charred remnants of the house.

Center Road resident Jodi Hunt stood outside Sunday looking at the charred remains of what once was 2816 Center Road, the home of her neighbors Janice Brahler and 17-year-old Kayla.

By Sunday all that remained of the home were piles of burnt ashes, a back wall, part of a chimney and an untouched garage.

Hunt, who lives a whisper from where the explosion took place, has relived the experience in her dreams, but is grateful her neighbors and the rest of the community were not hurt in the explosion. Hunt has spoken to Brahler and her daughter since the explosion. She said they are shaken by the experience, but doing fine.