BARROW COUNTY, Ga. — Several people were trapped inside a home before it exploded in Barrow County; their emergency services said three people died.
“This is a very tragic event that resulted in the loss of life and injuries to others,” Chief Alan Shuman with Barrow County Emergency Services said.
Firefighters with Barrow County Emergency Services responded to a house fire on Saturday at Hidden Acres Road just after 12:10 a.m. Reports coming into fire personnel also said an explosion had happened and multiple people were trapped.
When they arrived, firefighters said they were met with multiple explosions coming from inside the house. The home was engulfed in flames, and several vehicles were also involved in the fire.
A passerby saw the house engulfed in flames:
Firefighters worked with Northeast Georgia Medical in treating three patients who were taken to area hospitals for treatment, while others worked to get the remaining people out. Additional firefighters had to fight the fire from a defensive position due to the magnitude of the fire and the multiple explosions.
Three people were found deceased in the home. Once the fire was contained, multiple propane cylinders were found in the house, which is believed to have resulted in the explosions.
"The firefighters and medical personnel did a great job under the circumstances," Shuman said. "We also want to remind citizens that it is extremely dangerous to have propane cylinders stored in your home or any other structure.”
The Barrow County Emergency Service’s Fire Marshal's Office, with assistance from the Georgia Fire Marshal’s Office and the Barrow County Sheriff's Office, is currently leading the investigation.
In an update on Monday, the Barrow County Sheriff's Office said the fire started in the living room. There was a large propane tank, typically used in an RV, to supply a single burning cooking eye.
"The couplings, and hose were not compatible, as well as the dispensing regulator was not correct," the sheriff's office said. "This resulted in a significant leak of propane."
At the same time, the occupants of the home were using a wood-burning stove to keep warm, the sheriff's office said. It was about 10-15 feet away from the tank.
"The fire in the wood stove provided an ignition source for the propane leak, which resulted in a large explosion," the sheriff's office said.
The leak fueled the fire, which resulted in a rapid growth and additional explosions, according to the sheriff's office.
Three women lost their lives and an additional four people were hurt in the explosion.
"The department has officially listed this as an accidental fire," the sheriff's office said.