TAUNTON, Mass. — One of the first responding police officers to a house explosion on Plain St. in Taunton shared what he went through earlier this week.
On Friday night, Taunton officer Casey Holmes said he was on his way home from a construction detail Wednesday morning, when he joined other patrolmen who were heading to a home explosion.
“We got there and the house was gone, Holmes said. “The front door and the frame were blown completely off across the street into the neighbor’s yard. It was hot right when we walked up from 100 yards away you could feel it.”
Holmes has been on the force for twelve years. He’s responded to many fires, but he said this house explosion was the most intense by far. He and other officers arrived and went door-to-door to warn people and tell them to evacuate while the flames were burning.
In body camera video released on Thursday, you can see officers and neighbors using shovels to try to find and dig out fire hydrants just two days after a historic blizzard.
“Something had to be done. There was a huge fire, and you just clicked into gear, and you don’t think about it until it’s done,” Holmes said. “It was a community effort.”
The recent winter weather made the response tougher. Roads were narrow as fire engines and ambulances tried to get to the house. Holmes said people were slipping as they tried to get the fire hoses out.
Minutes after arriving, Holmes learned a mother and daughter were badly burned inside the home. They were at a neighbor’s house, who was an off-duty Quincy firefighter. That’s when Holmes first came into contact with the victims.
“Our initial thought is nobody could have survived this,” he said. “They had terrible burns which were tough to see. Nothing short of a miracle that two people are going to survive.”
Holmes said one ambulance got stuck in the snow. The mother with serious injuries was placed into a second ambulance. The medics hopped in the back to treat her, but they needed a driver. Holmes stepped up unexpectedly and drove the ambulance to a Rhode Island hospital. While he played a pivotal role in helping the woman get the treatment she needed, he was quick to credit other first responders and the neighbors who pitched in to help.
“It was nice to see everyone work together come together as a team and get the job done.”
The mother and two-year-old daughter were seriously hurt, but the family says they’re expected to be okay. Holmes said he would like to visit them in the hospital when it’s appropriate.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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