EGELSTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. - The Muskegon County Sheriff's Office responded to a call of a house explosion Tuesday afternoon.
A 17-year-old and his father were both in the home at the time of the explosion, the sheriff's office said. Both of them were injured and received burns on their hands and face. One of victims was transported to a Muksegon hospital and the other was airlifted to a hospital in Grand Rapids. They are in critical but stable condition.
The explosion was reported on Barnes Road south of Apple Avenue in Egleston Township.
"They are lucky to be alive," said Egleston Township Fire Chief Mark Cleveland.
“They were both in the basement at the time,” explained Cleveland. “Workers doing utility work in the area pulled them out from underneath the rubble around the foundation of the home.”
Neighbors described hearing a loud blast and a big boom.
MaryAnn VanBergen lives right across the street from the house. She said around 3:30 p.m. she heard an explosion that was unlike anything she had heard before.
"It throws you—to hear the noise, see the fire. It was a huge ball of fire and it was all burning by the time I came out," said VanBergen.
VanBergen said she saw burns on the 17-year-old's hands and face.
Debbie Gauthier, another neighbor, said she and her family members helped pull the victims out of the rubble. They didn't think they would be able to pull the teen and his father out.
"He said, 'we're not going to be able to get him.' And just then, we heard him whimper. My nephew and my brother-in-law pulled him up out of the rubble."
The cause of the explosion and subsequent fire are still being investigated.
Relatives say earlier in the day propane was delivered to the tank at the house.
“That’s my niece that lives there,” said Gauthier. “My brother in law said their propane tank was filled. It wasn’t long after that the explosion occurred.”
Fire Chief Cleveland said they are still not sure what caused the explosion.
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