Marlborough, MA – The house explosion at 15 Grant Court early Sunday morning that sent one man to the hospital was fueled by natural gas, according to state fire officials.
Jennifer Mieth, spokeswoman for the state Fire Marshal’s office, said the blast, which happened at about 1 a.m. Sunday, was a natural gas explosion inside the home.
Marlborough Fire Chief James Fortin said the man who was inside the home was a tenant and remains in the hospital. He was outside the home by the time firefighters got to the scene.
Fortin said the damage to the house was devastating, but he said surrounding homes were fortunately spared from any flying debris, save for one piece of debris that flew through a neighbor’s window. He said several cars in the area were damaged in the blast.
The impending storm created a rare challenge for investigators, as the few parts of the home that remained standing and the pile of debris surrounding it could be blown around and become projectiles in high wind.
Fortin said public works crews responded shortly after the explosion to clear debris from the road, while a contractor hired by the homeowner cleared the plot on which the house stood.