1 in critical condition after home explosion in Princeton
A man is in critical condition after his home exploded in Princeton, Minnesota late Wednesday evening.
Firefighters worked through the overnight hours to stop the flames, but smoke was still billowing from the roof more than 12 hours later.
Crews got the call for the home explosion around 11:30 p.m., according to the Mille Lacs County Sheriff's Office. The 60-year-old victim told authorities he went to check on his water heater, when out of nowhere, it blew up.
A neighbor said the victim came to his home and pounded on his door.
"He looked like he was bright red," said Tom Clawson. "A lot of his facial hair was burnt off, he had one little spot on his back but his hands were pretty bad too."
The victim was airlifted to a trauma center in the Twin Cities, where he is receiving treatments for multiple burns.
Clawson says his neighbor has been in touch with others on the street since being taken for treatment and says he seemed in good spirits.
It's not the first time Princeton has seen a home explosion: a suspected gas leak leveled a home there last spring, killing two people inside.
"I'm grateful that this one didn't end in that way," said Mille Lacs County Sheriff Kyle Burton. "If you smell gas, get out of your house and call 911. That's the best thing you can do."
Burton added that if you smell gas in your home, avoid turning on any lights, because that could potentially ignite gas fumes.
The explosion is under investigation.
