A chain of explosions at a Barrow County home that left three women dead Saturday morning was ruled to be accidental and caused by a propane leak, officials said.
As firefighters drove to the home along Hidden Acres Road, all they knew was that an explosion had occurred and multiple people were trapped inside, the fire department said. At about 12:10 a.m., as crews arrived at the scene, multiple explosions were going off and the home quickly became engulfed in flames, fire Chief Alan Shuman said.
“The home was fully involved in fire and was collapsing as a result of the fire. Several vehicles were also involved,” Shuman said.
Crews worked with personnel from Northeast Georgia Medical Center to treat all patients they were able to get out of the home. Four people were injured.
Officials continued trying to extinguish the flames as the explosions persisted and the fire became more intense, authorities said. Once the fire was contained, multiple propane cylinders were found inside.
While some firefighters continued to extinguish hotspots, others headed inside the house to search for any other victims. Three women were found dead, and officials said they were killed as a result of the fire and explosions. Their names were not released.
Authorities said a resident of the home was using a large propane tank to power a single burner stove, but that the two were not compatible and the dispensing regulator was not correct, which caused a significant leak of propane. The residents were simultaneously using a wood burning stove to keep warm.
The fire in the wood stove provided an ignition source for the propane leak, resulting in an initial large explosion in the living room, while the leak also fueled the fire, leading to additional explosions, the fire department said.
“This is a very tragic event that resulted in loss of life and injuries to others,” Shuman said. “We also want to remind citizens that it is extremely dangerous to have propane cylinders stored in your home, or any other structure.”
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