INKSTER, Mich. – A man was badly burned and a DTE Energy worker was injured when a house exploded Tuesday in Inkster.
The explosion happened around 10 a.m. Tuesday, May 2, at a house in the 26000 block of Penn Street in Inkster, near the border of Dearborn Heights.
VIEW HERE: Dozens of pictures from massive house explosion in Inkster
“I was in my living room watching TV and I heard some ‘boom,’ and I thought someone was in my house,” neighbor Alina Boudi said.
Inkster fire Chief Chuck Hubbard said the house was already fully engulfed in flames when his firefighters arrived.
“All of a sudden, our whole house shook,” neighbor Cynthia Dowell said. “It was a very loud explosion. It was just a lot of smoke, a lot of sirens real fast.”
A man was in the home at the time of the explosion, but he was already outside when authorities got to the scene. Officials believe he was helped out of the house.
The man was badly burned and rushed to University of Michigan Hospital.
“Very serious,” Hubbard said. “His injuries are very serious. From what I understand, he’s got third-degree burns. I’m not sure on how much of the body, but very serious.”
A DTE Energy worker who was in the area also suffered a minor injury, officials said. (You can read the DTE Energy statement below.)
Firefighters put the fire out quickly, and it didn’t spread to any other houses. One other home has minor damage from the explosion, Hubbard said.
Once firefighters have put out the last of the hotspots, the house that exploded will be demolished.
Hubbard said it’s not yet clear what caused the explosion. Once the flames have been completely extinguished, investigators at the scene will try to figure out exactly what happened.
MORE: Here’s what neighbors said about today’s house explosion in Inkster
“I felt that explosion,” Boudi said. “It felt like something hit my house.”
Officials are not aware of any other people or pets living at the house.
Crews from Inkster, Dearborn Heights, Westland, Garden City, and Wayne were all called to the scene.
“I could not imagine being inside something like that,” Dowell said.
Here is a statement from DTE Energy:
DTE Energy is at the scene of an incident at a home in Inkster. We understand an individual has been transported to a local hospital, and our thoughts and prayers are with them. The cause of the incident is unknown at this time, and we are working with local authorities to investigate.
Safety is our top priority, and our crews are working with first responders to ensure safety in the area.
Our team’s focus (is) on maintaining the safety and integrity of our system of underground natural gas pipes through a robust program of inspections, maintenance, and upgrades. As always, we urge anyone who may smell or suspect a gas leak to call 911, then contact DTE at 800-947-5000 (or your natural gas provider).
DTE Energy
You can watch Hubbard’s full update below.
Here is video from the scene:
