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A mother and a young child were seriously injured in a house explosion Wednesday morning in Taunton, Massachusetts, according to fire Chief Steven Lavigne. The explosion happened at about 9:50 a.m. at 78 Plain St. in the city’s Weir Village section. Pictures from the scene showed a large home fully engulfed in flames. The home is a total loss. Initial reports indicated that a woman, her young child and her boyfriend were in the home at the time, Lavigne said. The woman, 25, was taken to Rhode Island Hospital, and the child, 2, was taken to Hasbro’s Children’s Hospital. “I don’t have the, the extent of the injuries, but from eyewitness reports, they’re pretty severe,” Lavigne said.The boyfriend was not home and was later located by Massachusetts State Police, Lavigne said. Video: Massive fire after house explosion in Taunton, Mass.Three families lived in the home. The structure is a total loss, and eight residents were displaced, Taunton fire said. No firefighters were injured.The street is lined by large snowbanks after the city received close to 30 inches of snow during Monday’s blizzard, making it difficult for first responders.”We’re recovering from a blizzard. The roads are lousy. The streets are narrow,” Lavigne said.The cause and origin of the explosion are not immediately known. Eversource did respond to the area, and gas and power were shut off as a precaution.”We have gas personnel on site coordinating closely with fire officials in response to the incident in the area of Plain and Hart streets in Taunton,” Eversource said in a statement. “We are actively investigating the issue, and continue to work with local and public safety officials.”Taunton Mayor Shaunna O’Connell said she believed the immediate neighbors left their homes on their own, but she did not know how many people in total were affected.”It was a pretty horrific image. Our hearts go out to, you know, the family that were affected and live in that house. To the neighbors, it’s traumatic for everyone. And we are praying for the people that are affected,” she said. Video: Sky5 over house explosion in TauntonThe origin and cause of the explosion are under investigation by the Taunton Fire Department, the Taunton Police Department and the state fire marshal’s office. People are asked to avoid the area.From Sky5, the house could be seen completely burned to rubble, with the exception of the very rear. There was visible damage to the two adjacent homes. Neighbors said the explosion shook their homes.”We heard an explosion. We, I looked out my front door, and it was just an inferno across the street. It was. It was really hot. You could feel the flames at my house. So, we all just came out and tried to do the best we can to help out our neighbors,” William Shivers said. “And then, there was no approaching the house, so we went to all the houses next door and try to get as many people out as possible.””It was just this boom that knocked stuff off my shelves. I thought it was a car accident, looked out my window and saw the house completely engulfed in flames,” said Bill Benevides. Video: ‘My entire house shook’: Witness describes Taunton explosion”I hear a loud explosion. Like, my entire house shook. And I came down. I heard a lot of sirens. So, I came downstairs, and I looked out the window, and I saw the house across the street from us engulfed,” neighbor Lisa said.The city has opened its Senior Center on Olney Street for residents who were displaced by the explosion.O’Connell said she has received calls from the governor’s office offering help, if needed. “I’ve been briefed on the house fire in Taunton. @MassStatePolice and @MassDFS are on-scene, and we’re asking residents to avoid the area so our teams can investigate,” Gov. Maura Healey shared on social media. “I’m keeping those hurt in the explosion, their loved ones, and their neighbors in my prayers.”According to online records, the four-family, three-story mansard roof colonial was built in 1900 and was 3,562 square feet. It was last sold in 2019.
A mother and a young child were seriously injured in a house explosion Wednesday morning in Taunton, Massachusetts, according to fire Chief Steven Lavigne.
The explosion happened at about 9:50 a.m. at 78 Plain St. in the city’s Weir Village section. Pictures from the scene showed a large home fully engulfed in flames. The home is a total loss.
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Initial reports indicated that a woman, her young child and her boyfriend were in the home at the time, Lavigne said. The woman, 25, was taken to Rhode Island Hospital, and the child, 2, was taken to Hasbro’s Children’s Hospital.
“I don’t have the, the extent of the injuries, but from eyewitness reports, they’re pretty severe,” Lavigne said.
The boyfriend was not home and was later located by Massachusetts State Police, Lavigne said.
Video: Massive fire after house explosion in Taunton, Mass.
Three families lived in the home. The structure is a total loss, and eight residents were displaced, Taunton fire said. No firefighters were injured.
The street is lined by large snowbanks after the city received close to 30 inches of snow during Monday’s blizzard, making it difficult for first responders.
“We’re recovering from a blizzard. The roads are lousy. The streets are narrow,” Lavigne said.
The cause and origin of the explosion are not immediately known. Eversource did respond to the area, and gas and power were shut off as a precaution.
“We have gas personnel on site coordinating closely with fire officials in response to the incident in the area of Plain and Hart streets in Taunton,” Eversource said in a statement. “We are actively investigating the issue, and continue to work with local and public safety officials.”
Taunton Mayor Shaunna O’Connell said she believed the immediate neighbors left their homes on their own, but she did not know how many people in total were affected.
“It was a pretty horrific image. Our hearts go out to, you know, the family that were affected and live in that house. To the neighbors, it’s traumatic for everyone. And we are praying for the people that are affected,” she said.
Video: Sky5 over house explosion in Taunton
The origin and cause of the explosion are under investigation by the Taunton Fire Department, the Taunton Police Department and the state fire marshal’s office. People are asked to avoid the area.
From Sky5, the house could be seen completely burned to rubble, with the exception of the very rear. There was visible damage to the two adjacent homes.
Neighbors said the explosion shook their homes.
“We heard an explosion. We, I looked out my front door, and it was just an inferno across the street. It was. It was really hot. You could feel the flames at my house. So, we all just came out and tried to do the best we can to help out our neighbors,” William Shivers said. “And then, there was no approaching the house, so we went to all the houses next door and try to get as many people out as possible.”
“It was just this boom that knocked stuff off my shelves. I thought it was a car accident, looked out my window and saw the house completely engulfed in flames,” said Bill Benevides.
Video: ‘My entire house shook’: Witness describes Taunton explosion
“I hear a loud explosion. Like, my entire house shook. And I came down. I heard a lot of sirens. So, I came downstairs, and I looked out the window, and I saw the house across the street from us engulfed,” neighbor Lisa said.
The city has opened its Senior Center on Olney Street for residents who were displaced by the explosion.
O’Connell said she has received calls from the governor’s office offering help, if needed.
“I’ve been briefed on the house fire in Taunton. @MassStatePolice and @MassDFS are on-scene, and we’re asking residents to avoid the area so our teams can investigate,” Gov. Maura Healey shared on social media. “I’m keeping those hurt in the explosion, their loved ones, and their neighbors in my prayers.”
According to online records, the four-family, three-story mansard roof colonial was built in 1900 and was 3,562 square feet. It was last sold in 2019.
