Propane tanks in Georgia home explode: 3 dead, 3 injured

A chain of explosions at a Barrow County, Ga. home left three people dead and three others injured Saturday, officials said.

As firefighters drove to the home along Hidden Acres Road, all they knew was that an explosion had occurred and multiple people were trapped inside, the fire department said. At about 12:10 a.m., as crews arrived at the scene, multiple explosions were going off and the home quickly became engulfed in flames, fire Chief Alan Shuman said.

“The home was fully involved in fire and was collapsing as a result of the fire. Several vehicles were also involved,” Shuman said.

Crews worked with medical personnel from Northeast Georgia Medical to treat three patients. Two of them were taken to a hospital by ambulance and another victim was flown.

Officials continued trying to extinguish the flames as the explosions persisted and the fire became more intense, authorities said. Once the fire was contained, multiple propane cylinders were found inside the home, which officials said resulted in the explosions.

While some firefighters continued to extinguish hotspots, others headed inside the house to search for any other victims. Three people were found dead, and officials said they were killed as a result of the fire and explosions. Their names have not been released.

“This is a very tragic event that resulted in loss of life and injuries to others,” Shuman said. “We also want to remind citizens that it is extremely dangerous to have propane cylinders stored in your home, or any other structure.”

The Barrow County Fire Marshal’s Office is leading the investigation with assistance from the Georgia Fire Marshal’s Office and the Barrow County Sheriff’s Office.