Cranston, RI – CRANSTON, R.I. — An elderly man sustained burns and injuries when his house near the Park View Middle School exploded early Saturday morning, according to officials and neighbors.
The blast happened around 7 a.m. at 23 Piedmont St. and appears to have been caused by a buildup of natural gas.
Residents said the man was Ralph Haggstrom, a 90-year-old-resident, who lived alone.
Cranston Deputy Fire Chief Kevin Morris, who declined to confirm the man’s name, said he was transported to Rhode Island Hospital. He said state and local fire officials are still investigating the cause of the explosion.
No one else was injured, but residents living near the house were temporarily moved from the area while National Grid inspected the area’s gas lines.
The red, single-floor house has since been deemed unsafe and was condoned off with a police detail stationed in front Saturday afternoon.
Neighboring houses also sustained damage from the blast.