Stafford man died in explosion, fire at his home

STAFFORD - One man has died from burns he suffered in an explosion at a house in the Ocean Acres development on Tuesday, according to Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer and Stafford Police Chief Thomas Dellane.

Kevin Thomas, 45, was airlifted to Temple Burn Center in Philadelphia from the scene of the early morning blaze that followed, which destroyed his Neptune Drive home, Billhimer and Dellane said in a joint statement.

An investigation has since determined that the cause of the explosion was the release of propane from a tank to an open flame, according to the statement.

Thomas was found on the front lawn of the house when police officers arrived at the scene on Tuesday morning.

The explosion originated in the southwest corner bedroom of the home, according to an investigation by the Major Crime Unit-Arson Squad of the Prosecutor’s Office, Stafford Police Detective Bureau, Ocean County Fire Marshal’s Office and Ocean County Sheriff’s Crime Scene Investigations Unit, all according to the statement from Billhimer and Dellane.

Stafford Township Police responded to Neptune Drive for a report of a large explosion and fire at the home, police said.

Surrounding homes were evacuated until the scene was deemed safe, Stafford Township Police said.

At the scene, a hole could be see in the roof and the windows were blown out, with debris littering the front lawn.

Contact Asbury Park Press reporters Jenna Calderón and Erik Larsen at jcalderon@gannettnj.com and elarsen@gannettnj.com, respectively.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Man killed after home explosion in Stafford