Photo Story: Explosion, Fire Destroys Texas Home

July 2, 2013
A crew renovating a Grand Prairie home struck the gas service line, which sparked an explosion and fire that firefighters battled from the exterior.

A severed gas line caused an explosion and fueled a fire that destroyed a home in the 900 block of NW 7th Street in Grand Prairie, Texas on June 29.

A work crew renovating the home struck the gas service line while digging near the home with a backhoe.

Grand Prairie Fire/Rescue Battalion Chief Bill Murphy said gas that accumulated in the crawl space under the flooring from the leaking line ignited, causing an explosion and setting fire to the flooring.

Firefighters were unable to control the fire due to the leaking gas line and had to pull out of the structure to take a defensive position while waiting for gas company crews to arrive and cut service to the house.

The natural gas fueled fire quickly spread, engulfing the house in flames. Firefighters used deck guns from two engines and an aerial truck to fight the large blaze while the gas company crew dug the line to shut off the flow of gas.

No one was hurt in the blaze that took firefighters several hours to control. One dog was rescued unharmed.

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