Fire Marshal Reveals Cause Of Edgewood House Explosion

EDGEWOOD, MD — Days after a house exploded in Edgewood, the Office of the State Fire Marshal has revealed the cause.

The 67-year-old homeowner lit a candle Sunday night after he "improperly disconnected a gas range, subsequently allowing the home to fill with natural gas," the fire marshal reported.

Delbert L. Markley told investigators he was expecting a new range to be delivered Monday to his house in the 2500 block of Thornberry Drive.

"Natural gas and propane are treated with a substance that has a distinctive odor that smells like rotten eggs," State Fire Marshal Brian S. Geraci said in a statement following the explosion. "If you can smell it in your home, go outside and call 911 immediately. Don't smoke or use any electrical appliances — even a light switch or thermostat — because any spark could lead to an explosion."

Firefighters were called before 9:30 p.m. Sunday to Thornberry Drive, where Markley's house was engulfed in flames and the home on either side had caught fire. It took crews an hour to bring the blaze under control, according to the Joppa-Magnolia Volunteer Fire Company.

As a result of the explosion, the homeowner suffered second- and third-degree burns in addition to traumatic injuries, according to the fire marshal.

Bystanders as well as first responders came to his aid before he was taken to Johns Hopkins Bayview, where the fire marshal reported Wednesday he was being treated at the burn center in critical but stable condition.

Both his dogs made it out of the residence; however, the first one who was rescued had to be euthanized Wednesday morning due to injuries. A dog who emerged from the rubble Tuesday morning is being cared for at the Humane Society of Harford County, investigators reported Wednesday.

See Also:

• Edgewood House Explosion: Fire Marshal Gives All Clear
• 40-Foot Flame Reached Toward Neighbor's House In Edgewood