DARTMOUTH, Mass. — A family dog has died and another dog and person were seriously hurt following a house explosion that rocked a Dartmouth neighborhood on Tuesday, police said.
One resident who suffered burns was taken by ambulance to a Rhode Island hospital with injuries that are believed to be serious, but non-life-threatening, Police Chief Brian Levesque said in a statement.
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Three dogs were inside the home at the time of the explosion.
One dog was later determined to be dead at the scene, Levesque said. Another was taken to a veterinarian for emergency treatment. A third dog was found uninjured on Tuesday morning after the pet initially went missing.
At 12:57 a.m. Tuesday, police received multiple 911 calls reporting an explosion at a home at 20 Sagamore Drive.
“I heard the first explosion, but I thought it was an earthquake,” said Ed Rouxinol, who ran outside to see what happened. “The house rumbled, the house was shaking – whatever was blowing up it was big.”
He took photos, showing the balls of fire as his neighbor’s house went up in flames.
Then he drove his grandson to safety down the street unsure of how far the fire would spread.
“I seen a flash of light go by like my window and I was like wow!” said Tim Souza, who lives nearby.
“One of the explosions knocked the pictures, couple pictures off the wall so it was kind of violent,” said John Shurtleff, a neighbor.
When emergency crews arrived, they found heavy fire conditions and explosions from the garage of the house, Levesque said.
All residents had evacuated from the home before first responders arrived.
State Police Bomb Squad technicians responded to assess the scene for any hazards that could have contributed to the explosion, Levesque said.
Neighbors are also trying to piece together what happened.
“The bangs and the flashes are coming too close together to be lightning and at that moment I happened to get up and look out the window and I saw a flaming package come flying and land in my backyard,” said Rouxinol.
Rouxinol found pieces of fireworks in his yard, and he says this neighbor usually puts on a big Fourth of July fireworks display.
Now he hopes this is a wakeup call for everyone.
“If it was an earthquake, it’d be a different kind of scary, something we have no control over, but this is something you definitely have control over,” said Rouxinol.
An investigation is ongoing into the origin and cause of the explosion.
Dartmouth Police and Fire and the Massachusetts State Police assigned to the State Fire Marshal’s Office are investigating.
Two Dartmouth Fire engines and one ladder company responded, along with engine companies from Dartmouth Fire Districts 2 and 3.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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