Man seriously injured in explosion, fire at Merlin home

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A man suffered serious injuries in an explosion and fire Monday morning at a Merlin home that blew off the garage door.

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Firefighters found the injured man when they arrived at the home at 26 William St. at about 8 a.m., Chatham-Kent Fire and Rescue Chief Chris Case said.

A member of the public helped get the man out of the building, he said.

The fire happened in the garage, Chatham-Kent Fire and Rescue said.

The Chatham Daily News spoke to a woman who helped the injured man, but she did not want to discuss the incident or be identified.

“It was an explosion fire and then it went to a fire,” she said. The blast blew the garage door off, she said.

Al Lauzon, who lives near the home where the man was injured, said he heard the blast from inside his home.

“It was a loud explosion,” he said. “I thought a semi-truck hit a car.”

Pierre Cleroux of Blenheim said he was driving by when he saw the injured man lying in front of the property and called 911.

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Having gone through two house fires himself, Cleroux said, “It’s scary.”

The man suffered serious injuries and was taken to Chatham-Kent Health Alliance, where he was later transferred to the burn unit, Chatham-Kent Fire and Rescue said.

Case said the cause of the explosion is being investigated.

The Ontario Fire Marshal’s Office has been called in to investigate because it was “a serious fire with serious injuries involved,” he said.

The home appears to be a private residence, but it is yet to be determined if someone was operating a business from the property, Case said.

Firefighters from stations No. 17 Merlin, No. 18 Blenheim, No. 19 Tilbury and No. 16 Raleigh South responded and “quickly snuffed out” the blaze, he said.

The fire was mainly contained to the garage, but there was heat damage done to nearby buildings, Case said. A damage estimate was not provided.

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