Cape St. Claire Blast Killed 76-Year-Old After Homeowner Cut Propane Line

Q: A propane company visited just an hour before the blast, so what critical warning signs were missed right before the deadly ignition?

The critical missed warning signs were the propane leak itself and the decision to keep working with a spark-producing tool inside an enclosed home where gas had likely already accumulated. Investigators said the propane company’s visit about an hour earlier did not cause the blast. Instead, the homeowner accidentally cut a propane line while doing HVAC work. That damage allowed propane to escape and build up indoors. Family members told investigators he had a diminished sense of smell, which may explain why he did not detect propane’s added rotten-egg odor. Even without smell, propane leaks can show other warning signs. Safety guidance cited by fire officials notes that hissing near a line or connection, gas-detector alarms, or unusual appliance flames can indicate escaping gas. Propane is heavier than air, so in a closed space it can pool low and create an extreme explosion hazard before anyone sees smoke or fire. The final missed danger was using a metal grinder after the line had been cut. Investigators identified the grinder as the ignition source. Once propane had accumulated, a single spark was enough to trigger the explosion that collapsed the home. Officials’ takeaway is clear: if a gas leak is suspected, leave immediately, avoid anything that can create a spark, and call 911 or the utility from a safe location. Do not try to locate or repair the leak yourself, and do not rely only on smell, especially if odor detection may be impaired.

3 articles · Updated · thebanner.com · Aug 24

Anne Arundel County fire officials said Monday the Cape St. Claire explosion was accidental and began when homeowner Stan Synowczynski cut a propane line while working on the home’s HVAC system.
A grinder he was using likely threw the spark that ignited gas building up inside the house; relatives told investigators his diminished sense of smell may have kept him from noticing the leak.
Linda Synowczynski, 76, was found in cardiac arrest after the house collapsed on Green Holly Drive around midday Wednesday and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Stan Synowczynski walked out of the debris with burns and was taken to Johns Hopkins Bayview’s burn unit, where fire officials said he remained in serious condition Monday.
Investigators said a propane delivery about an hour earlier did not cause the blast, closing off an early line of suspicion in the fatal case.