Explosion Kills 13 Dogs, Critically Injures Man

PORT RICHEY, FL — The Pasco County Fire Marshal’s Office has released more information in a Sunday night explosion in Port Richey that sent one man to the hospital in critical condition and claimed the lives of 13 dogs.

According to county officials, the explosion occurred in the 8700 block of Velvet Drive around 7:13 p.m. Aug. 20, affecting two homes. The resident at one of the homes had lost power and was using a generator in his garage, an email from Pasco County Fire Rescue said.

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“During the refueling of the generator, an explosion occurred,” the email said. The resulting blast also set the home next door on fire.

The man who was refueling the generator suffered burns on more than 40 percent of his body, officials say. He was airlifted to a local hospital as a trauma alert. As of Monday morning, he remained in critical condition. The man’s name is not being released, but firefighters say he is in his 40s.

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As firefighters worked to put out fires at both homes, crews rescued two dogs from one home and one from the other. A total of 13 dogs, however, died in the blaze, fire rescue reported.

Both homes have been deemed uninhabitable. The Red Cross was called in to assist the family at the second home, the county reported Monday morning.

No other injuries were reported.

The fire marshal’s office concluded that “improper fueling of the generator” caused the explosion and subsequent fires.

No further information is being released at this time.

Image via Shutterstock