1 dead, 4 hurt in Maine home explosion

February 12, 2013 at 2:57p.m.

BATH, Maine (AP) — A two-family house exploded early today in this historic shipbuilding city on Maine’s coast, killing one person, hurting four others and sending debris flying a quarter mile away, officials said.

Fire investigators were looking into whether a propane leak caused the single-story brick duplex to blow up and catch fire shortly after 5 a.m., said Sgt. Ken Grimes of the state fire marshal’s office.

The powerful blast leveled the building, awakened neighbors and scattered debris around the neighborhood, with wood, insulation, shingles, clothing and other items landing in trees and on neighbors’ cars and roofs. Windows were blown out of some homes, and some residents had to flee in their pajamas.