LAFAYETTE PARISH (SCOTT) — A homeowner in Scott is fortunate to be alive after his grill exploded under his porch around 11:00 a.m. on Sunday, causing significant damage to his home and minimal damage to surrounding homes.
Scott Fire Department responded to a call about a house fire, but Chief Chad Sonnier said the situation was quickly upgraded to an explosion after further information came in.
"The homeowner had a grill outside that exploded and completely destroyed parts of his house," Chief Sonnier said.
According to Sonnier, the grill was turned off and stored beneath the homeowner's porch when the explosion occurred. Here's an explanation of why the explosion occurred, according to Scott Fire:
"It is believed that propane inside a 5-gallon tank on a gas grill, located near the front porch, expanded substantially throughout the day due to warming temperatures. The excessive pressure buildup was unable to escape due to a malfunctioning or defective pressure relief valve on the tank, causing the explosion."
No injuries were reported, though the explosion caused significant damage to the home.
The force of the blast blew the homeowner's front door off its hinges, shattered windows, and knocked pictures off the walls inside the house.
Nearby neighbors also reported similar damage to their windows, but on a much smaller scale.
At the time of the incident, firefighters and the homeowner were still searching for the propane tank involved in the explosion.
The homeowner chose not to be named or interviewed, but KATC spoke with his daughter and a next door neighbor about their experience.
Here from them TONIGHT at 10:00 p.m. on KATC TV3.
