BIRMINGHAM, Mich. (AP) - A woman who had just returned to her suburban Detroit home after two weeks away was injured when an explosion rocked the residence as she was turning on appliances, officials said.
Monday morning’s explosion blew out the Birmingham home’s windows, shattered part of its brick facade and left it partially collapsed. The home then caught fire.
Birmingham Fire Chief Paul Wells said firefighters found the woman inside the home with only minor injuries and she didn’t want to go to a hospital.
Wells said the woman had returned to her home after about two weeks away and began plugging in and turning on appliances when the explosion happened, The Detroit News reported.
“She was caught in the middle of a low yield blast,” he said. “It’s a miracle she’s alive.”
The explosion and subsequent fire could have been caused by a gas leak, Wells said. Consumers Energy crew was investigating.
The fire chief said the woman suffers from allergies and told firefighters she couldn’t detect any unusual odors.
Wells said his department and the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the cause of the explosion.
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