Hixson, TN – A Hixson family lunch came to an abrupt end on Sunday after an explosion and fire in their basement.
“My granddaughter hollered, “get out of here, get out of here,” said Lou Wilson, who was in the kitchen when she heard a boom.
“I thought somebody had fallen down the stairs,” said Wilson.
Several other family members were in the basement of the home in the 1700 block of Crabtree Road. They were working on a propane stove.
“A mixture of propane and air ignited in a flash and set some mattresses and other bedding materials in storage in the basement on fire,” said Jack Brellenthin, the Assistant Fire Chief with the Dallas Bay Fire Department.
He says working with gas can be a dangerous task.
“Whether it be natural gas or propane, they can cause explosive situations very quickly.”
Three people were hurt when the gas ignited; two of them later went to the hospital for treatment of second degree burns.
“[They were] suffering from flash burns to the hands and upper extremities of the face,” said Brellenthin.
The people inside had little time to react once the spark mixed with the gas.
“It would have been an instantaneous, pretty violent, flash,” explained Brellenthin.
He advises others to stop working immediately if you find a leak.
“Shut the gas off, leave the house, and call a reputable service technician,” Brellenthin continued.
He says this situation could have been much worse, which is why Wilson says she’s happy no one was seriously hurt.
“Hey, I’m thankful,” said Wilson, “thank the Lord. It’s good.”
Firefighters say the fire was contained to the basement and that the estimated damages are right around $5,000.