OH- BARBERTON — The Barberton Fire Department says the cause of a house explosion on Sunday morning has been traced to a natural gas leak located in a supply line directly beneath the home’s kitchen.
According to Barberton’s fire department the gas line was corroded and located in a crawl space of the Prospect Street home. The family had smelled gas the previous evening and turned off the gas supply to the kitchen stove.
Investigators say the gas was ignited when one of the home’s occupants turned off a light switch in the kitchen. The resulting fire has been ruled accidental.
A couple was inside the home at the time of the blast and was pulled to safety with the help of a neighbor. The wife was treated and released, but the husband remains hospitalized for burns. The family’s dog also made it out of the house.
The house is expected to be demolished.