Explosion destroys home, injures 4 people in Santa Maria
An explosion and subsequent fire destroyed a Santa Maria home and injured four people on Wednesday afternoon.
According to a news release from the Santa Maria Police Department, officers were dispatched to the 1200 block of Jackie Lane for “a possible explosion inside a residence” around 12:10 p.m.
“The situation quickly evolved into an active structure fire,” the release said.
They found the home “demolished and reduced to rubble,” city spokesman Mark van de Kamp told Noozhawk. “The blast blew out windows in 10 adjacent houses.”
Santa Maria Fire Department crews extinguished the blaze and police officers formed search teams to rescue residents, police Lt. Paul Van Meel said.
Four people were transported to local hospitals with injuries, van de Kamp said.
One was extricated from the home that exploded, he said. while one was extricated from an adjacent home and two other people were in the home behind the one that exploded.
The Santa Maria Police Department said the exact cause of the explosion is unknown, and the agency is conducting an active investigation.
This story was originally published August 23, 2023 at 2:30 PM.
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