Beulah man burned while helping wife, dog escape camper explosion in Benzie County

BEULAH, Mich. – A 67-year-old man suffered from second- and third-degree burns after his camper trailer exploded at the Veteran’s Memorial State Forest Campground on Friday morning.

Michigan State Police say at about 6:50 a.m. the Buelah man turned on the propane outside and an explosion occurred when he went back inside and attempted to ignite the stove. The explosion caused the roof to collapse and the walls to be blown out, officials said.

The man reportedly held up the roof so that his wife, 60, and dog could escape from the camper. Police say the man then attempted to unhook the camper from the vehicle.

The man was taken to a medical center in Traverse City and then taken to Grand Rapids by an ambulance, police said. He sustained second- and third-degree burns to 35-40 percent of his body, police said.

The man’s wife, also from Beulah, was also taken to the hospital and has since been released.

The Michigan State Police Fire Marshall was called to investigate the cause of the fire, officials said.

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