CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. — Investigators with the state Fire Marshal’s Office have ruled a Monday explosion that leveled a house in Charles Town as accidental in nature.
Two people were injured and a home has been deemed a total loss after an explosion.
It happened in the 500 block of Cloverdale Road Monday afternoon. HVAC technicians were in the home after the owners reported problems with their propane furnace. Shortly before 1 pm, an explosion set fire to the home.
Fire marshal investigators cleared the scene early Tuesday afternoon after declaring the blast was not intentional.
UPDATE: The cause of the Charles Town house explosion is ruled accidental and the investigators have cleared the scene, releasing the site back to the owners. 2 people were injured in the explosion. NFI pic.twitter.com/a8oMu0OEXQ
— WVState Fire Marshal (@WVFireMarshal) November 12, 2019
The Citizens Fire Department has confirmed two HVAC workers were injured in the blast. One victim was flown to a Washington, DC hospital for treatment. The other victim was taken to Jefferson Medical Center in Ranson.
“It looked like a normal house fire,” Citizens Fire Company Lt. Daniel Turner said. He was one of the first firefighters on the scene. “Then it got much, much worse as more explosions happened.”
HOME EXPLOSION: Aerial footage over Charles Town, West Virginia shows firefighters on the scene after a gas explosion destroyed a home; two HVAC techs working in the basement were injured. More tonight. https://t.co/U6ijDRHurG pic.twitter.com/AraeT5AWeZ
— World News Tonight (@ABCWorldNews) November 11, 2019
In addition to several departments in Jefferson County, firefighters responded from Maryland and Virginia.
“We attempted to make entry into the house through the door that had fire coming out of it,” Turner said. “We tried to knock the fire back and then advance inside. We attempted to go inside and put the fire out but unfortunately we were forced out by conditions.”
A GoFundMe page has been established to raise money for the impacted family.