Police: Alcohol A Factor In Crash That Caused Massive Explosion In Melvindale

MELVINDALE (WWJ) - Police say a 24-year-old man who crashed through a fence at a DTE Energy substation and struck a gas main valve, sparking a massive explosion that evacuated the neighborhood for hours, is suspected of being under the influence of alcohol.

Melvindale Police Chief Chad Hayse said the man, identified as Andrew Gregoire, was driving southbound on Greenfield Road around 3 a.m. Saturday and for some reason, made a sharp left turn onto the DTE property at Allen Road. He crashed through a fence, around a berm and struck a large natural gas main, which exploded with a massive fireball. Flames were shooting 30-feet into the air and the glow from the fire could be seen from as far away as Canada.

"[The gas main] is not that close to the road. This individual traveled a distance off the roadway. It's not four or five feet off the street," he said. "I've been here 25 years and no one has even gone that path. We don't know why the individual drove where he drove."

Hayse said the driver, a Melvindale resident, might have died in his vehicle if it weren't for his friend, who was following behind in a second vehicle.

"He could not get out himself, the friend helped him get out of the car," said Hayse. "The driver did receive some burns getting out of his own vehicle but without his friend helping him, I don't think he would have gotten out. And had his friend taken another five or 10 seconds to do so, I don't think he would have made it."

The Gregoire was the only person injured during the incident. He remains in stable condition at a local hospital. Criminal charges are pending.

[PHOTOS+VIDEO: Neighborhood Evacuated Following Massive Gas Line Explosion]

Assistant Dearborn Fire Chief Steve Densmore said the intensity of explosion was of "huge magnitude."

"Something like that, we never want to spray or actually attempt to put the fire out itself, so our primary mission was to evacuate the people around it," he said.

Residents in an 18 block area around the substation were evacuated from their homes and directed to the Intercity Baptist Church. Some residents also fled to Melvindale High School as well as the Allen Park Civic Arena. The evacuation order was lifted around 9 a.m. and residents were allowed back into their homes.

Clint Turlin, who has lived in the community for almost 50 years, said the gas line was an accident waiting to happen.

"When they originally put that pipe in there, it was too close to the road. Years ago I complained to the city commissioner and they did put a berm on both sides of the road but not all the way around it," he said. "It's exposed to the road, on a curve. It was just a matter of time."

Hayse said Allen Road will remain closed at Greenfield Road for a couple of days so crews can make necessary repairs.

"There's some damage to the asphalt, and the poles and wires need to be replaced," he said. "If you go down there and just sort of wipe your foot across the top of the black-top, the first three or four or five inches of black-top just crumbles away. It's like ash."

The incident remains under investigation but police believe Gregoire had been drinking at the Hayloft Bar on Greenfield in northwest Detroit before getting into his car and driving -- hitting the gas main.

Stay with WWJ Newsradio 950 and CBSDetroit.com for the latest.

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• Explosion