SHERMAN, Texas (KXII) – Because the investigation caused a fatal house explosion In Van Alstyne earlier this week, Grayson County Fire Marshal John Weda said all signs point to an accidental propane leak.

“It’s a three-story structure, about 8,000 square feet, it has a fully enclosed basement,” Weda said, “We had a propane leak in that area that came into contact with an ignition source and caused the explosion. “

The home off Stone Marshall Road in Van Alstyne exploded Monday, killing an adult man and woman.

Their identities have not yet been revealed.

“We’re still waiting on the results from the medical examiner’s office and we have to decide some things there,” Weda said, “We’re working with the commission on this investigation, so a few more steps there and then we’ll come up with an official case.”

Weda said this is the second fatal explosion in Grayson County this year.

In Februaryone person was killed and another was injured after a Sherman home exploded due to a propane leak.

Emergency personnel are urging those with propane or natural gas to use caution.

“We strongly recommend that people who can hire a licensed plumber or a licensed plumbing company come and do a gas pressure test on your pipes,” Weda said, “We recommend that you do this annually.”

Van Alstyne Fire Chief Ryan Dockery also recommends a gas leak detector.

“A simple CO2 detector will not detect a gas leak in your home, you should buy a detector that is specific to gas leaks,” said Dockery, “They make detectors that are a combination so they can detect CO and also gas leaks.”

It is recommended to buy a detector with an alarm that can be connected to the track to avoid killing it.

Dockery said where you place the detector also matters.

“Understand what’s powering your house,” Dockery said, “If it’s propane, you’ll want to place them lower, and if it’s natural gas, you’ll want to play a little higher toward the ceiling.”

This is because propane weighs more than air so it sinks and natural gas is lighter than air so it rises.

Although frequent checks and proper safety precautions can help detect a gas leak, if you smell gas in your home, get out quickly.

“Just get up, leave the house immediately and get safely out of the house,” Weda said, “Then you want to call 911.”

It doesn’t take much for a leak to turn into an explosion.

Copyright 2024 KXII. All rights reserved.