Five Milwaukee Firefighters Injured in House Explosion
Source Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Six people were injured -- including five firefighters -- by an explosion and fire at a duplex on Milwaukee's north side Sunday evening.
Battalion 2 firefighters were called to a two-story brick duplex at 3423-25 N. 38th St. about 6:30 p.m. for a report of a gas leak, Deputy Chief Michael Romas said.
Shortly after firefighters arrived to check the gas leak, the house blew up at 6:39 p.m.
"We got on the scene and we went to investigate, and while we were investigating it exploded. We were getting everything in order, all the hoses and suddenly -- boom," Romas said.
Three suffered serious burns -- two firefighters and the civilian. The others sustained minor injuries.
All were taken to Columbia St. Mary's Hospital for treatment.
A fire spread through much of the second floor of the duplex following the explosion, which was quickly extinguished.
Milwaukee police, members of the Milwaukee Fire Department's arson investigation team and investigators from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were at the scene late Sunday trying to determine the cause of the explosion.
Copyright 2012 - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
