Annapolis house explosion appears accidental, propane delivery not a factor, investigators say
A preliminary investigation into a deadly explosion that leveled a house in Annapolis on Wednesday indicates the blast was accidental and not related to a propane delivery at the home earlier in the day, Anne Arundel County fire officials said Friday.
On the day of the explosion, investigators said they learned a gas company had been on site filling a propane tank approximately one hour before the blast. Investigators then contacted the company for more information.
Investigators determined the propane company "did not cause or contribute to the explosion," according to a statement from the Anne Arundel County Fire Department.
The preliminary investigation was conducted by the Anne Arundel County Fire/Arson/Explosives Unit, in cooperation with state and federal partners.
Investigators still working to determine the cause
Fire officials said the investigation into the blast remains ongoing, and investigators are working to finalize additional details surrounding the incident.
The explosion, which took place around 12:15 p.m. in the 1100 block of Green Holly Drive, left one woman dead and a man suffering from severe burns.
The woman who died was identified as 76-year-old Linda Synowczynski. Fire officials said Synowczynski went into cardiac arrest following the explosion. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Neighbors had started performing CPR on her before firefighters arrived.
A man who was rescued from the debris suffered severe burns and was airlifted to the hospital. The statement issued Friday said the man was still in critical condition at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center in Baltimore.
"First responders arrived quickly, secured the scene, and mitigated any potential risks," the department said.
Witnesses described efforts to help
Joseph and Benjamin Toms were staying at their father's house nearby when they felt the blast. They said they called 911 and ran toward the rubble.
"The first thing we thought of was to search for anyone, call, see if we could hear anyone," said Benjamin Toms.
Joseph Toms said his Navy training kicked in and he knew what to do.
"I yelled, 'We have a light pulse.' We saw her feet, we both grabbed part of the roof and lifted it up," he said. "Neighbors rushed, they helped us lift it up, got her out, that's when first responders came in."
Despite their efforts, Synowczynski was pronounced dead on the scene. Her husband, Stan, was unaccounted for as he was trapped under the debris.
"We were calling out for him, it took a few minutes, we finally heard after three or four minutes, he must have come to, his voice. We were able to see him, and when his head popped out in the middle of the rubble, it was a huge relief," said Joseph Toms, who also ended up going to the hospital himself after inhaling fiberglass during the search.
