Investigators: Gas stove was left on when Coon Rapids house exploded, seriously injuring homeowner
UPDATE (Sept. 10, 2023): The Coon Rapids Fire Department concluded its investigation of the explosion on Sept. 1. What follows is a revised version of the original story.
COON RAPIDS, Minn. -- Investigators say a gas stove that was left on was the cause of an explosion inside a Coon Rapids home in June that severely injured a homeowner.
The Coon Rapids Fire Department says it received a report of an explosion just before 3 p.m. on June 21, and they arrived at the scene at Palm Street Northwest and 104th Lane to find a house completely flattened.
Homeowner Zachary Nevarez was found outside, suffering from second- and third-degree burns that covered 90% of his body, according to the State Fire Marshal's Office.
The fire from the flattened home spread to the house next door, causing significant damage. A third house also sustained damage from the blast.
"Our first arriving crews found the house completely flattened and the victim outside. The victim was treated by Allina and transported down to Hennepin County Medical Center's burn unit in serious condition," said Coon Rapids Fire Chief John Piper in late June.
The State Fire Marshal's Office announced on Aug. 30 that the explosion was caused by a gas leak. In the final report released on Sept. 1 by the Coon Rapids Fire Department, it's noted that gas was on inside the house, and investigators found the gas stove was set to the "on" position, but the source of ignition is unknown.
Neighbors told WCCO back in June that their homes shook following the explosion.
"We were sitting outside, me and my daughter sitting outside, and 'boom!'" said neighbor Bob Nahl.
Michael Wright lives in the home next door, or at least he used to.
"While I was doing laundry, there was the big boom and the west end of my house was gone," Wright said. "There's only about 6 or 8 feet of the roof left, so everything from there west was destroyed."
Fire crews from surrounding communities helped put the fire out.
"When you think explosion, I mean there's a variety of things. Is it natural gas? Is it propane? Is it gasoline? There's a variety of things that'll cause stuff like this. But you wanna make sure you have the local gas company involved to assist with their expertise," he said.
But with three houses damaged – two of them total losses – and only one person hurt and expected to recover, neighbors are counting their blessings.
"It's terrible. Could have been a lot worse. It could've been full of kids or something, or a whole family in there or something," Nahl said.
"I can sit here and bemoan the fact that I can't get some things out which I'd like to save, but they're just things," Wright said.
The State Fire Marshal's Office says Coon Rapids city housing inspectors were at the home about a month and a half before the explosion, and it was deemed uninhabitable at that time. Nevarez was also told not to live or sleep inside the home.
