Taunton Home Explosion Ruled Accidental
TAUNTON (CBS) -- Fire officials said Monday that they believe a house explosion in Taunton over the weekend was accidentally caused by the homeowner.
No one was hurt in the inferno at 40 Christine Lane on Sunday afternoon. State Fire Marshal Stephen Coan and Taunton Fire Chief Timothy Bradshaw said a woman was trying to fix her gas-fueled hot water heater and ended up removing the gas shut off valve.
"This allowed gas to pour into the basement where it was ignited by any one of a number of possible ignition sources: the pilot on the hot water heater, the furnace, or an electrical switch," they said in a statement.
The woman was able to get out of the house safely, but officials say the incident underscores the importance of leaving some home repairs to the experts.
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"This explosion illustrates what can go wrong when attempting do-it-yourself repairs without the proper training," Coan said. "Contact professionals for maintenance and repairs on major home appliances and systems."