Fatal Berlin home explosion caused by propane leak, fire marshal confirms

Table Of Content

• Chase Ends In Marlborough After Police Disable Car On I-290
• ‘His life had impact’: Billerica police mourning loss of sergeant killed in construction accident
• Judy Christensen was found dead inside her home by first responders after the explosion on April 14
• This Berlin police officer has ties to Marlborough. Learn why she's hailed as a hero
• Investigation underway after elderly woman killed in house explosion in Berlin

The woman who died was identified as Judy Christensen by the Worcester County District Attorney's Office. Her daughter, the woman who was rescued, suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Debris covered a 300-foot area, fire officials said, who noted that an investigation has been launched into the cause of the explosion.

House explosion in Berlin, Massachusetts kills 79-year-old mother, injures daughter - WCVB Boston

House explosion in Berlin, Massachusetts kills 79-year-old mother, injures daughter.

Posted: Fri, 14 Apr 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

Chase Ends In Marlborough After Police Disable Car On I-290

The house on Ridgemoor Road in Essex, Maryland, appeared in photos shared by the department to have been completely destroyed by the blast. "There's people that burn a fire and little fire pits, maybe something caught on fire, but not an entire house," said neighbor Logan Lambert. While at the scene, a male reported having burn injuries and was taken to the hospital for further treatment. As work continued, neighbors said they lost a friend and a pillar of the community.

‘His life had impact’: Billerica police mourning loss of sergeant killed in construction accident

Firefighters were still putting out hotspots later in the morning. There was minor damage to other homes because of flying debris. There was minor damage to three other homes because of flying debris. Firefighters battled the flames for about an hour-and-a-half, with crews from 10 other towns assisting in the response, DFS said. Berlin fire officials did not immediately announce a possible cause of the explosion.

Judy Christensen was found dead inside her home by first responders after the explosion on April 14

It was gone, instantly, there was debris all over the road,” Smith said. Smith said he couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw what was left of the home completely leveled and on fire. The explosion and fire happened at a home on Pleasant Street in the Worcester County town. Judith “Judy” Christensen, 79, died at the scene, the Worcester County District Attorney’s Office confirmed.

She earned a bachelor's degree in criminal justice, with a minor in cyber-criminology, at Alabama in 2019. She was hired in 2021 as Berlin's first full-time female officer, and has been on patrol since graduating from the academy in October of that year. It took firefighters about an hour and a half to put out the fire, Ostroskey’s office said. The Bolton, Clinton, Harvard, Hopkinton, Hudson, Marlborough, Northborough, Shirley, Sterling and Stow fire departments helped.

Massachusetts house explosion kills woman, "heroic" neighbors rescue another from the rubble

She was then taken to a nearby hospital and the extent of injuries are unknown, the station reported. A police officer and several neighbors braved intense heat and live electrical wires to rescue a woman trapped under debris following a home explosion in Berlin last week. Her adult daughter was rescued by neighbors after she became trapped under a section of roof, WCVB reported. The DA’s office confirmed that the unidentified woman remains hospitalized, and DFS said her injuries are not believed to be life-threatening. A house explosion in Massachusetts early Friday morning killed one woman and sent another woman who was pulled from the rubble by neighbors to the hospital, CBS Boston reported. BERLIN, MASS. (WHDH) - An investigation was underway Friday after officials said an elderly woman was killed in an early-morning house explosion in Berlin.

Berlin police officer Molly Plante was the first to arrive after emergency crews were dispatched to 71 Pleasant St., McQuillen and Schartner said in a joint news release. Plante found two neighbors — Brian and Dylan Clemmer — attempting to lift a piece of roof off of Jill Christensen. BERLIN - A house explosion in Berlin, Massachusetts early Friday morning killed one woman and sent another woman who was pulled from the rubble by neighbors to the hospital. McQuillen said the daughter of the woman who died, who is in her 50s, was inside the home as well.

Burned boards, twisted metal, broken glass, torn insulation, uprooted trees and a decorative wishing well can be seen on the property. A GoFundme has been started by neighbors for the Christensen family. McQuillen said with the fire rapidly expanding, the actions of the neighbors were truly heroic. The woman was taken to an area hospital, where she is reportedly in stable condition.

Elderly Woman Killed, Daughter Rescued From House Explosion in Berlin - MSN

Elderly Woman Killed, Daughter Rescued From House Explosion in Berlin.

Posted: Fri, 12 Apr 2024 18:15:39 GMT [source]

The Knight Fuel Company was issued a notice of violation during the course of the investigation. State Fire Marshal spokesperson Jake Wark told MassLive in July that initial findings in the investigation were pointing to a propane leak. The injured man was transported to a local hospital with non life-threatening injuries, Lt. Twana Allen said in an email to ABC News.

The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox. "It shows the dedication of their neighbors and the commitment  to each other that they have," McQuillen said. Receive the latest news and breaking updates, straight from our newsroom to your inbox. Crews will be on the scene "for an extended period of time," officials said. Officials say they have heard from several neighbors that there was a foul smell in the area Saturday.

A fatal house explosion was captured on video by neighbors in Berlin, Massachusetts. Firefighters arrived at the two-and-a-half-story, single-family home showing heavy fire that had “sustained catastrophic damage,” Ostroskey’s office said. McQuillen said three nearby homes suffered minor damage due to the explosion. Nearby yards were littered with glass from broken windows and twisted window frames and clothes were dangling from tree branches 30 feet in the air.

NBC10 Boston reported that Christensen had just celebrated her birthday on Thursday. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local.

The explosion destabilized the 71 Pleasant St. home of Judith Christensen, 79. She died following the explosion, while her daughter Jill was injured after roofing fell on her. Neighbors Brian and Dylan Clemmer called upon Berlin police officer Molly Plante to help them lift a porch roof off of a woman they heard calling for help. Then a second explosion brought heavy fire and a live, sparking electrical wire under the rescuers’ feet.

Neighboring homes were dusted with ash and a fence behind the home was partially melted. By morning, all that was left of the home was rubble and debris. A neighbor shared security video of the scene which showed the explosion and fire.

The blast was so severe, there was damage to neighbors’ homes and there were parts of the house high up in the trees above. "When it exploded it came down upon itself so there was nothing really standing except for a debris pile when we arrived." "It was very heroic for them to be able to get in and lift that up and get her out from underneath that," Berlin Fire Chief Michael McQuillen said of the neighbors' actions. "The fire was advancing very quickly at that point. . . the seconds matter. Definitely was a factor in saving her life and keeping her alive." One woman was killed and another injured after a house in Berlin exploded early Friday morning.

It had been improperly filled with 5.5 gallons of propane, “a violation of the Massachusetts Comprehensive Fire Safety Code,” officials added. "This is where I am reaching out to the broader community for help," Andrea Clemmer, who organized the GoFundMe, wrote. "I have set up this page to help cover the costs of her medical bills and Judy's funeral expenses. Your donation, no matter how small, will go a long way in helping this family get through this extremely difficult time." A community in Central Massachusetts is coming together to mourn the loss of woman who tragically died in an explosive house fire a day after her 79th birthday last week. BERLIN — When Officer Molly Plante pulled up to a Pleasant Street home on April 14, she was greeted by devastation — an explosion had leveled the house that sat on the property.