April 09--A woman suffered second- and third-degree burns in a propane tank explosion and fire in Fontana late Sunday.
Residents near the corner of Fontana Avenue and Beech Street in Fontana called the police at 10:54 p.m. after hearing explosions in the neighborhood.
Firefighters and police began searching the neighborhood, but couldn't find the location where the explosions occurred. There was no smoke leading firefighters to any blaze, said San Bernardino County fire spokeswoman Tracey Martinez.
Firefighters eventually found a woman in the 9200 block of Fontana Avenue. She had suffered second- and third-degree burns to her upper body.
Paramedics took her to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton for treatment.
Martinez said the woman had been living in a two-car garage that had been converted into a living space. Inside the garage was a camp stove that was connected to a hose, leading through a wall and out of the garage to a five-gallon propane tank outside.
"Investigators believe that when the female tried to light the camp stove, it exploded," Martinez said.
The explosion blew out an entire wall of the garage and caused the roof to collapse.
"She was very lucky to escape the structure," Martinez said.
Investigators say the explosion occurred because the hose had become loose.
Reach Melissa via email or call her at 909-386-3878.
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Copyright 2012 - San Bernardino County Sun, Calif.
