Grant Valley Township, MN – Dispatchers in Beltrami County were swamped with calls after a home exploded in northwestern Minnesota Monday night.
The Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office says the calls started coming in around 5:35 p.m., reporting a loud explosion and windows and walls rattling so hard that pictures fell off walls. First responders immediately began fanning out and searching the area to determine the source.
Eventually someone called to report that a home on Buchanan Avenue Southwest had exploded and smoke was coming from the residence. Emergency crews immediately responded and found one person injured and rushed him or her to the hospital.
At this time the extent of those injuries is not known. The investigation is not yet complete, but the Bemidji Fire Chief says the cause appears to be accidental, and is likely related to a propane leak inside the home.
A firefighter on the scene told The Bemidji Pioneer that the fire was extinguished and described what was left as a “field of debris.” Deputies on scene said the debris would need to be sorted through in daylight.