BENTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — An explosion at a southwestern
Michigan house where a resident was using oxygen tanks for a medical
condition killed two people and injured four others, police said Sunday.
The
blast happened about 11:40 p.m. Saturday, according to police in
Berrien County’s Benton Township. The community is east of Benton
Harbor.
When emergency crews arrived, they found four injured
people outside the burning house and were told two other people were
trapped inside, said Lt. Delmar Lange.
Lange didn’t release the
names of those killed, but WSBT-TV in South Bend, Ind., identified them
as Josh Hoffman, 27, and Cindy Turner, 48.
A 7-year-old boy and
women ages 26 and 36 were treated for smoke inhalation and released,
Lange said. He said Norma Hoffman, 59, was airlifted to Bronson
Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo for treatment of burns and smoke
inhalation. She was in critical condition Sunday afternoon.
"Two
of the surviving adults told investigators that they awoke to find the
house filled with smoke and a downstairs bedroom on fire," Lange said in
a statement. "As they were fleeing the house, there was an explosion
and flames that spread to the rest of the house."
Lange said one
resident was using oxygen, but the blast’s cause was undetermined. The
Michigan State Police fire marshal’s office is investigating, he said.
Copyright 2011 The Associated Press.
BENTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — An explosion at a southwestern
Michigan house where a resident was using oxygen tanks for a medical
condition killed two people and injured four others, police said Sunday.
The
blast happened about 11:40 p.m. Saturday, according to police in
Berrien County’s Benton Township. The community is east of Benton
Harbor.
When emergency crews arrived, they found four injured
people outside the burning house and were told two other people were
trapped inside, said Lt. Delmar Lange.
Lange didn’t release the
names of those killed, but WSBT-TV in South Bend, Ind., identified them
as Josh Hoffman, 27, and Cindy Turner, 48.
A 7-year-old boy and
women ages 26 and 36 were treated for smoke inhalation and released,
Lange said. He said Norma Hoffman, 59, was airlifted to Bronson
Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo for treatment of burns and smoke
inhalation. She was in critical condition Sunday afternoon.
"Two
of the surviving adults told investigators that they awoke to find the
house filled with smoke and a downstairs bedroom on fire," Lange said in
a statement. "As they were fleeing the house, there was an explosion
and flames that spread to the rest of the house."
Lange said one
resident was using oxygen, but the blast’s cause was undetermined. The
Michigan State Police fire marshal’s office is investigating, he said.
Copyright 2011 The Associated Press.