Video shows propane tank explosion in Delaware damaging buildings, homes near railroad tracks
By Frederick Sutton Sinclair, Mike Spatocco, Ryan Hughes
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BEAR, Delaware (KYW) — A propane tank explosion on the Delmarva Central Railroad tracks in Bear, Delaware, damaged several buildings and homes Saturday afternoon, officials said.
Video obtained by CBS News Philadelphia shows thick black smoke before a large explosion sends bystanders running for cover.
“The ground shook like a bomb went off,” said Chris Coviello.
The blast shattered windows, left lights inside some businesses dangling, and knocked pieces of drywall and ceiling tiles to the floor.
“Believe me it was a big boom when it blew,” said Janet Davis.
Davis says she was just about to walk outside her home on Wrangle Hill Road because she saw a fire on the railroad tracks about 500 feet away. Then, all of a sudden, there was an explosion, and about six windows in her home shattered, and that wasn’t all.
“All the barn windows have blown out,” Davis said.
Investigators say crews were doing maintenance Saturday afternoon on the railroad tracks near Wrangle Hill Road just north of Red Lion Road.
The 500-pound propane tank was mounted on a railcar, and around 12:30 p.m., a malfunction occurred during the heating process of the tracks, which sparked a fire, and then the tank exploded.
Fire crews found the maintenance railcar vehicle engulfed in flames, as well as multiple brush fires in the area.
“The explosion happened right beside the church here,” said John Grimsley, the pastor at Refuge Nation Church.
Several windows were blown out at the church, which sits right next to the train tracks. Part of the roof in the sanctuary and in the church’s recording studio came down.
“We’re probably not going to be having service here for a few Sundays, but thank God everybody is ok,” Grimsley said.
Fire officials say at least five homes were damaged, as well as multiple businesses.
Chris Coviello owns the business complex, and estimates cleanup and repairs could cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.
“Thank God nobody was hurt. The amount of shrapnel that I pulled off the roof, off the secondary roof, out of the parking lot and under that car there, there’s just so much shrapnel we are picking up,” Coviello said.
The Delaware State Fire Marshal said the explosion was ruled an accident.
CBS News Philadelphia learned an engineer will inspect the building and businesses on Monday to determine if there is any structural damage.
No injuries were reported. Wrangle Hill Road was closed between routes 40 and 71 for more than three hours as crews worked to contain the fires.
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control said there are no possible hazards from fluids in the destroyed rail machine.
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