Woman Dies After Home Explodes, Burns
Gas Leak May Have Caused Explosion, Fire
POSTED: Thursday, August 27, 2009
UPDATED: 6:05 pm EDT August 28,
2009
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- An investigator with the Fire Marshal's office said the woman firefighters pulled from a Westside home that exploded and burned on the Westside Thursday night has died.
Firefighters responding to the home in the 5300 block of Broadway Avenue about 8 p.m. found the home fully engulfed in flames. A woman was found in the living room, where they believe the fire started. She was transported to a hospital, but died about 3 a.m.
Authorities identified the victim as 73-year-old Eunice Lovering.
Neighbors said they could hear the boom from blocks away. Firefighters told Channel 4 the homeowner had recently refilled an LP gas tank.
Lt. Robby Stephens said he was pretty certain there was a gas leak, but it does not to appear to have been to the tank and pinning down the exact source will be a time-consuming process.
"Whatever it was that ignited -- that caused the explosion -- evaporated quickly," Stephens said. "Unfortunately, it's going to be slow going because, as you can see behind me, the entire structure has collapsed in on itself."
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