Provincial fire investigators are combing through the rubble of a home in southeast Elgin County. Friday morning at approximately 10:36 a.m. first responders were called to Sandytown Line in the Municipality of Bayham after a house exploded.
“It sounded almost like a sonic boom,” said Bayham mayor Ed Ketchabaw, who lives about 700 metres away.
“It rattled the windows in the house. I understand that it could be heard over on Baldwin Line and my aunt’s place up the road where she heard, the same thing.”
Ketchabaw immediately called the fire department.
“We arrived and as you can see behind us, we had a house that exploded, but the unusual event was there’s absolutely no fire to this,” said Harry Baranik, Bayham fire chief.
“From that information, we were able to determine that due to the explosion, the OFM (Ontario Fire Marshal’s office) must be a contacted. I’ve seen a house explode, before, but there was fire there, too, so this is very unusual that it blew itself out.”
Elgin County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) along with two stations and 15 firefighters from Bayham Fire & Emergency Services (BFES) department responded. When they discovered no flames, they quickly left to preserve the scene for the OFM.
“What we will be doing is a methodical approach,” said Jim Demetriou, spokesperson for the OFM.
“What that means is we’ll be fine combing through everything will be turning everything, to make sure that we can find the origin of the cause. We have brought in heavy equipment to help and assist our investigators.”
Ketchabaw said the home had been in his family over the years and was recently sold with the new owners taking possession on Dec. 1.
“I’ve never met the neighbours,” said Ketchabaw.
“So, we don’t know what’s going on. But when you go down and, you’re not expecting the house is flat and there’s no fire, you wonder what’s going on here?”
There were no injuries.
“The one reason that the house is still intact was that we were able to contact the owner, and it was vacant at the time,” said Baranik.
“Therefore, we were not concerned about looking for searching for people. Because of that reason, we were able to keep the scene for the OFM intact for them.”
The Technical Standard Safety Authority who regulates fuels in the province is on site with the OFM to aid in the investigation.
“Once the excavator does start removing parts for our investigators to get there, it’s hard to determine (a timeline),” said Demetriou.
“Until we methodically approach the scene and find out everything that we need to try and determine the origin of the cause.”
Sandytown Line between Stewart Road and Maple Grove Line will remain closed until the investigation is complete.
