NY Home Condemned after Propane Dryer Explosion

Aug. 22—GLENVILLE, NY — A man and woman were taken to the hospital and the house was condemned after a suspected propane dryer explosion in the home's basement Sunday, Glenville Hill Fire Department Assistant Chief Rick Manocchi said.

Both individuals hurt were conscious and talking when investigators arrived, Manocchi said

Part of the first floor wall at the 887 Sacandaga Road home was blown out. The section previously had a front door and two windows.

Firefighters arrived to a small fire in the basement, Manocchi said. The firefighters were able to extinguish it through holes in the foundation that were caused by the explosion.

At least one neighbor reported hearing and feeling the explosion.

Gina Cooper was her yard Sunday morning when it happened. Her husband Kent dialed 911.

"I didn't know what it was," Gina Cooper said as she and her husband stood near a tree, watching as investigators work. "It was scary. We could hear the dogs barking, and her screaming, and came running over. I only saw the front porch there. I thought maybe that it just collapsed. But then, you see all the debris and clearly it was some kind of explosion.

"She was running around the house, and her husband was still indoors in the basement," Gina Cooper said. "Not really sure what happened. He said he turned the dryer on and doesn't remember anything after that."

Colonie Town Village's structural collapse team conducted an evaluation for Glenville Hill Fire Department, and it determined it was not safe to send fire investigators inside the home, Manocchi said.

"At this point the building is going to be condemned and we'll figure out where we go from there," Manocchi said.

The preliminary investigation determination of the dryer causing the fire was from "what we're able to see from outside, and we're able to piece together from statements that one of the two folks at this home made," the assistant chief said. "So that's tentatively what we're saying right now.

"The town building inspector has been here, and tells me that the house does not meet the criteria for an emergency knockdown," meaning the town won't take the lead in razing the building.

"We're going to see if we can locate either (a close relative) or get a hold of one of the two folks," he said.

Sacandaga Road, from Goldfoot to Dawson roads, was closed as investigators worked the scene.

___

Visit The Daily Gazette, Schenectady, N.Y. at www.dailygazette.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.