Smith Twp. family hurt in house blast

The state fire marshal’s
office continues to look
for a cause.

SMITH — Lewis Woods, who owned the home at 18515 W. Pine Lake Road that blew up and burned about 4:30 a.m. Tuesday, said the four victims are a “nice family.”

“You don’t want to see that happen to anybody,” he added.

Woods, watching the scene from a nearby house, said he and the victims are related — but he didn’t say how.

Sebring Fire Chief Jim Cannell said the Woods family — Williard Woods and wife Megan, both 44, son Jake, 18, and daughter Jenessa, 16, were in the home at the time.

The Beloit and Damascus fire departments also responded. The home was totally involved when firefighters arrived, Cannell said. The structure was a modular home on a structure with a full basement.

Cannell said the four all wanted to go to the same hospital. They were flown by helicopter to the burn unit of Cleveland MetroHealth Center. The father was the most severely burned, on his hands, arms, chest, face and ears. His wife was burned less severely, but on her legs and head; she had a broken shoulder blade from the roof collapse. Jake and Jenessa had minor burns to feet, ankles and legs, a family spokesman said later Tuesday.

Shane Cartmill, Ohio State Fire Marshal spokesman, said the explosion in Beloit remains under investigation by state and local authorities.

“An origin and cause have not been determined, and nothing specific has been ruled out at this time,” he said. “Investigators will continue to conduct interviews with those in the home and witnesses in the area at the time of the incident. Investigators continue looking for the cause of the explosion.”

Cannell said of the cause, however, “We may never know.”

The basement was all that was left of the house.

Williard Woods did maintenance work for a retirement community. Megan Woods worked at the West Branch School District, where the couple’s daughter had been named the junior class president, Cannell said.

The son worked for Flex Star, an asphalt company.

The home had one propane tank, according to the owner. A dollar estimate of damage was not immediately available.

At the Pike Lake Christian Church, west of the destroyed home, Pastor Tom Palmer said the family didn’t come to the church, but other family members did.

The church will try to help the family.

“We have to be like Christ and serve our neighbors,” the pastor said.

Cannell said the fire department also is accepting donations to help the family, and has started a bank account for others to donate.

The chief said donations may be sent to Woods Donation Account, c/o Huntington Bank, 146 E. Ohio Ave., Sebring 44672.