Explosion rocks condominium in Detroit suburb, sparking fires and injuring 2

Advertisement

Advertise with us

ORION TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — An explosion possibly caused by a natural gas leak rocked a suburban Detroit condominium, damaging other units, sparking fires and seriously injuring at least two people, officials said Wednesday.

Read this article for free:

or

Already have an account? Log in here »

To continue reading, please subscribe:

Monthly Digital Subscription

$0 for the first 4 weeks*

  • Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
  • Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
  • Access News Break, our award-winning app
  • Play interactive puzzles

*No charge for 4 weeks then price increases to the regular rate of $19.00 plus GST every four weeks. Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time.

Monthly Digital Subscription

$4.75/week*

  • Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
  • Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
  • Access News Break, our award-winning app
  • Play interactive puzzles

*Billed as $19 plus GST every four weeks. Cancel any time.

To continue reading, please subscribe:

Add Free Press access to your Brandon Sun subscription for only an additional

$1 for the first 4 weeks*

  • Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
  • Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
  • Access News Break, our award-winning app
  • Play interactive puzzles
Start now

No thanks

*Your next subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $16.99 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $23.99 plus GST every four weeks.

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 20/11/2024 (380 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

ORION TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — An explosion possibly caused by a natural gas leak rocked a suburban Detroit condominium, damaging other units, sparking fires and seriously injuring at least two people, officials said Wednesday.

“It is an absolute miracle, if you have seen that scene, that we are talking currently about no fatalities,” said Chris Barnett, the supervisor of Oakland County’s Orion Township, northwest of Detroit.

One condo building exploded Tuesday evening at the Keatington New Town Association, causing significant damage to another building and what appeared to be minor damage to two or three other buildings, said township Fire Chief Ryan Allen.

Debris is seen from the aftermath of an explosion that destroyed a condominium at the Keatington New Town Association subdivision in Orion Township, Mich., Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (David Guralnick/Detroit News via AP)
Debris is seen from the aftermath of an explosion that destroyed a condominium at the Keatington New Town Association subdivision in Orion Township, Mich., Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (David Guralnick/Detroit News via AP)

“I was on the computer and there was a shock wave,” resident Scully Hirsack told TV station Fox 2 Detroit. “The screen popped out at me and everything came off the walls.”

A man and a woman in their 70s were injured. One was in critical but stable condition Wednesday while the other was listed between stable and serious, Allen said.

“We have lots of people homeless,” Barnett said, adding that 18 families were displaced.

At a news conference, he praised an unidentified Amazon driver who apparently helped a man to safety.

“There were many heroes last night,” Barnett said.

A definitive cause of the explosion was not known, though Allen said a natural gas leak was possible. A witness said she smelled gas. Consumers Energy turned off gas as first responders worked the fire.

“Our system was intact and no abnormalities found,” said Chris Fultz, the utility’s vice president of gas operations.

Two people who were unaccounted after the explosion were later found and were not in the building.

Report Error Submit a Tip

World

LOAD MORE