Dramatic 911 Calls Pour In After House Explosion
ROYAL OAK (WWJ) - "Multiple injuries" has been listed as the formal cause of death of a Royal Oak man who was literally blown out of his own home in a massive explosion earlier this week.
Dispatchers were flooded with frantic 911 calls following the incident Wednesday, in Cooper Ave., near Woodward, north of 13 Mile Road. The house was leveled.
In the 20 minutes of recordings released by police, callers expressed shock and disbelief.
Said one man, "Oh my God, I cannot believe what I just saw with my eyes."
"I'm not sure where it's at, but something just blew up," said another.
"Has anyone called about Normandy?" asked a woman, through tears. "I saw it go up in the air and it's down into pieces!"
"Sir, we had an explosion over here ... Cooper Avenue. The address that blew up is one, two, three, four, five, about six houses to my south. The whole house has been destroyed," one witness said. "Consumers power has been out here for two days -- they just left the site -- Consumers Energy."
Killed was 58-year-old Daniel Malczynski, a retired auto workers and father of three.
A Consumers Energy spokesperson said a ruptured gas service line to the home, likely damaged by work crews installing a new gas main in the neighborhood, is believed to have caused the explosion.
An investigation continues.
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