4 badly injured in explosion that destroyed Broward County home. Where is West Park?
A family of four, including two children, was injured after a house unexpectedly exploded early Tuesday morning, leaving behind a scene of total devastation, the Broward Sheriff's Office said.
Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Michael Kane told local media “the injuries range from significant to life-threatening.”
Ring neighborhood alerts erupted around midnight from residents around the south Broward community reporting a loud explosion that shook homes over a mile away. Staffers at Local 10 News said they felt the building shake from the force.
The explosion is under investigation by the State Fire Marshal.
Here's what we know.
What happened in West Park?
Home fire and explosion in West Park @browardsheriff @SunSentinel @BrowardCounty pic.twitter.com/kHrAHP13sr
— Joe Cavaretta (@PhotoSSentinel) December 19, 2023
Shortly after 12:30 a.m. Tuesday, Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue personnel responded to 5241 SW 20 St. in West Park. An explosion at that location left the house in rubble and severely damaged multiple nearby homes.
"You can see nothing but rubble and debris where this home once stood," said 7 News Miami reporter Olivia DiVenti from the scene. "It is completely gone."
UPDATE: BSO reports 4 people taken to the hospital after home explosion in West Park @nbc6 pic.twitter.com/KGplPJiFKg
— Julia Bagg (@JuliaNBC6) December 19, 2023
Firefighters told local media they believed it was likely a propane gas leak.
Anyone with information about the explosion should call Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-8477.
Was anyone killed or injured in the explosion in West Park?
“It’s just completely gone.”
Home explosion in the City of West Park. Per @browardsheriff: 4 people taken to hospitals; multiple homes/cars damaged; nearby residences evacuated
Latest @wsvn: https://t.co/XjEu7anwUv pic.twitter.com/mHTI7jwxeG— Daniel Cohen (@DCohenNEWS) December 19, 2023
According to 7 News Miami, officials from the Broward County Sheriff's Office said that a family of four, including two children, were taken to nearby hospitals for injuries from the blast, and multiple homes and cars were damaged. Rescue personnel are still on the scene and local media spotted search dogs being sent through the debris.
Four injured in home explosion in West Park, sheriff’s office says https://t.co/hWOoYMNjxX
— South Florida Sun Sentinel (@SunSentinel) December 19, 2023
Where is West Park, Florida?
Officially called the City of West Park, it's in the southeast part of Broward County and considered part of the Miami metropolitan area.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: West Park Florida explosion levels home, damages nearby houses