Glenville, NY – Two people were taken to a hospital after a suspected propane dryer explosion in a home’s basement Sunday, Glenville Hill Fire Department Assistant Chief Rick Manocchi said.
Part of the first floor wall at the 887 Sacandaga Road home was blown out. The section previously had a front door and two windows.
Firefighters arrived to a small fire in the basement, Manocchi said. The firefighters were able to extinguish it through holes in the foundation that were caused by the explosion.
Gina Cooper was in her yard Sunday morning when it happened. Her husband Kent dialed 911.
“I didn’t know what it was,” Gina Cooper said as she and her husband stood near a tree, watching as investigators worked. “It was scary. We could hear the dogs barking, and her screaming, and came running over. I only saw the front porch there. I thought maybe that it just collapsed. But then, you see all the debris and clearly it was some kind of explosion.
“She was running around the house, and her husband was still indoors in the basement,” Gina Cooper said. “Not really sure what happened. He said he turned the dryer on and doesn’t remember anything after that.”
A structural collapse team from Colonie conducted an evaluation for Glenville Hill Fire Department, and it determined it was not safe to send fire investigators inside the home, Manocchi said.
“At this point the building is going to be condemned and we’ll figure out where we go from there,” Manocchi said.