© Herald-Mail/Dan Dearth
Ben Hoopengardner, deputy chief of the Hancock Volunteer Fire Co., said a woman was in the house when the explosion occurred, but she was able to escape without harm. A family pet also survived the blast. The house was engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived about 10 minutes after they received the call at 8:50 a.m., he said.
"It was obvious some type of explosion occurred to the front of the house," Hoopengardner said. "There were some cars piled up in the front yard, as well as some of the house laying out in the yard. He said the explosion blew two vehicles onto their roofs. Three other vehicles also were damaged.
"This is going to be deemed as a total loss of the structure ... the (state) fire marshal is going to have an extended investigation," Hoopengardner said.
The owner of the house, Anthony McLean, said in a telephone interview late Thursday night that he believes the explosion may have been related to a propane gas tank.
© Herald-Mail/KGGilbert
McLean said a number of his cars were destroyed during the blast and fire, including a Lamborghini and two Mercedes Benz vehicles. Among other possessions destroyed were trophies and sports items belonging to his family, McLean said. "You can't replace that," McLean said.
McLean said he had the house built a little more than three years ago at a cost of $1.5 million. The woman who was in the house at the time was his girlfriend, he said.
A smoke column could be seen from as far away as Hancock. Firefighters used a ladder truck to pour water on one of the flaming vehicles and other hot spots. The sporadic sounds of exploding ammunition in the fire could be heard from a few hundred yards away.
Firefighters reached the blaze by driving their vehicles about 150 yards down a paved driveway that was lined on each side by young trees. Hoopengardner said firefighters had no trouble getting water to the remote location.
"The extent and the amount of time it takes for other units to get to our location in Hancock, that was probably the only problem we had," he said. An estimated 60 to 70 firefighters from 25 to 30 units in Maryland, Pennsylvania and West Virginia responded to the call.
Hoopengardner said the Washington County Rehab Unit provided firefighters with food and water at the scene. No firefighters were injured during the operation, he said.
The property was about 10,000 square feet, according to Hoopengardner. The house was a two-story structure with two-attached garages and 3 1/2 baths.
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