New Westminster man seriously burned by home explosion
A man is in hospital in serious but stable condition following an explosion in a home in the Brow of the Hill neighbourhood of New Westminster on Monday.
The explosion at 1011 Fifth Ave., occurred about 4:30 p.m. When fire and police arrived they found a man inside "with significant burn injuries," said New Westminster police Staff Sgt. Paul Hyland.
Since they weren't sure what the cause was, some nearby homes were evacuated as a precaution in case it was a gas leak or something similar.
Hyland said it appears the man accidentally ignited a container with flammable material inside that eventually caused a flash fire that eventually blew out his front window. Police, however, are not releasing what that material was. No charges are being recommended, and there were no indications it was any kind of clandestine lab, said Hyland.
COMMENTS
Let's keep comments:
We ask that all participants own their words by logging in with their Facebook account. It's a simple process that will take seconds and helps keep our comments free of trolls, cranks, and “drive-by” commenters.
We reserve the right to remove comments from anyone using screen names, pseudonyms or false identities. Please see our FAQ if you have questions or concerns about using Facebook to comment.