Explosion rocks condominium in Detroit suburb, sparking fires and injuring 2

By The Associated Press

Debris is seen from the aftermath of an explosion that destroyed a condominium at the Keatington New Town Association subdivision in Orion Township, Mich., Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (David Guralnick/Detroit News via AP)[ASSOCIATED PRESS/David Guralnick]

ORION TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — An explosion possibly caused by a natural gas leak rocked a suburban Detroit condominium, damaging other units, sparking fires and seriously injuring at least two people, officials said Wednesday.

“It is an absolute miracle, if you have seen that scene, that we are talking currently about no fatalities,” said Chris Barnett, the supervisor of Oakland County’s Orion Township, northwest of Detroit.

One condo building exploded Tuesday evening at the Keatington New Town Association, causing significant damage to another building and what appeared to be minor damage to two or three other buildings, said township Fire Chief Ryan Allen.

“I was on the computer and there was a shock wave,” resident Scully Hirsack told TV station Fox 2 Detroit. “The screen popped out at me and everything came off the walls.”

A man and a woman in their 70s were injured. One was in critical but stable condition Wednesday while the other was listed between stable and serious, Allen said.

“We have lots of people homeless,” Barnett said, adding that 18 families were displaced.

At a news conference, he praised an unidentified Amazon driver who apparently helped a man to safety.

“There were many heroes last night,” Barnett said.

A definitive cause of the explosion was not known, though Allen said a natural gas leak was possible. A witness said she smelled gas. Consumers Energy turned off gas as first responders worked the fire.

“Our system was intact and no abnormalities found,” said Chris Fultz, the utility’s vice president of gas operations.

Two people who were unaccounted after the explosion were later found and were not in the building.