HOLDEN, Mass. — A frightening scene in Holden on Saturday. The state fire marshal’s office says a man suffered “serious injuries” after his car blew up due to an apparent leak from an acetylene tank in his trunk.
Neighbors had to rush to pull the man from underneath the car, after the blast, according to investigators.
He was rushed to a local hospital with serious injuries. It happened in the area of 216 Brattle Street in Holden.
“It was just a major boom and the house shook,” said Cindy Benoit, a neighbor on Brattle Street. “The left driver-side tire, the rear one, was completely over his lower leg. He was laying flat on his back with his hand out, and he was just saying, ‘Get the car off me!’”
Benoit added, “He kept telling us, ‘Look for his wallet and phone. Very calm.”
“My dad saw the windshield fly into our front yard. The windshield wiper actually ended up by our front porch,” said Benoit’s daughter, Paige
First responders were called to the scene following some 9-1-1 calls.
“On arrival, they observed a car that had sustained catastrophic damage and an adult male whom neighbors had pulled from beneath it.” according to a statement from the State Fire Marshal’s office.
“Based on interviews and evidence at the scene, they have collectively determined that the man stored an acetylene tank overnight in the trunk of his vehicle, where it appears to have leaked,” according to a statement from the State Fire Marshal’s office. “While the exact ignition source remains unknown, investigators believe it was accidental.”
The blast did not cause any significant fire damage, said investigators.
A neighbor’s surveillance camera captured audio of the explosion. You can hear the sound of a bang in the video below.
Acetylene is a compressed gas that is often used with compressed oxygen to fuel torches.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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