Greenfield, MA — The house at 19 Prospect St. was demolished Tuesday evening, hours after being blown off its foundation by a reported explosion that remains under investigation.
Greenfield firefighter William Kimball previously said the white two-story house was shifted off its foundation by the blast shortly before 12:30 p.m. A man was transported to Baystate Franklin Medical Center in Greenfield, and approximately 50 firefighters from at least four departments battled the blaze from outside the structure due to the compromised integrity.
According to a post on the Greenfield Fire Department’s Facebook page, it is believed the explosion and fire started in the basement with a possible involvement of propane, and that it was accidental.
Prospect Street, which was blocked by police during the firefighting efforts, was quiet Wednesday afternoon. The site was cordoned off with yellow caution tape and there were at least three towering stacks of wood covered with snow that fell Tuesday night. An excavator was on site.
Greenfield Fire Capt. Alex Cooley declined to comment on the victim’s condition but commended the “coordinated team effort.”
“It was a very rapid response with a lot of agencies working to get the job done,” he said.