NORTH RIDGEVILLE — The explosion in an Eastview Street home Thursday night was caused by fumes that built up from gas leaking from a Harley-Davidson motorcycle that was parked in the garage, North Ridgeville Assistant Fire Chief Scott Bement said today.
He said it will likely never be known what caused the fumes to ignite, causing the explosion which severely damaged the house owned by Gary Klemens.
Klemens’ son, Adam Klemens, was the only one in the house when the explosion occurred and was treated and released from Fairview Hospital for smoke inhalation, Bement said.
The Klemens home at 5955 Eastview St., is probably a total loss because of the heavy damage it sustained in the explosion, Bement said.
Heat from the fire melted vinyl siding on the homes on either side of the Klemens home as well, Bement said.
See Saturday’s Chronicle for more on this story.
Earlier Story
NORTH RIDGEVILLE — An Eastview Street home was heavily damaged Thursday night in an explosion and subsequent fire.
The explosion occurred around 10:30 p.m. at a two-story home at 5955 Eastview St. No one was injured, said North Ridgeville Assistant Fire Chief John Reese.
According to data from the Lorain County auditor’s website, the property is owned by Gary Klemens.
The front of the house was completely destroyed, and a car in the driveway was burned. The home was fully engulfed when firefighters from North Ridgeville, Westlake and Avon arrived.
Reese said that since there was a reported explosion, the fire marshal would investigate.
Dozens of neighbors gathered to watch.
Mallory and Michael Walsh were at home next door with their two small children when they heard what Mallory described as a “loud boom.”
“I grabbed the kids, Michael called 911 and we ran out,” she said. They went to the house on the other side of them, where Misty Blalock was asleep and was awakened by her neighbors knocking on the door.
“I didn’t hear (the explosion),” Blalock said.
Kara Koprowski and Sarah Kitko were at Kitko’s home, more than a mile away south of Center Ridge Road, when they heard what sounded like fireworks.
“I thought it was pretty early for people to be setting those off,” Koprowski said. “Fourth of July’s still a few weeks away. Then Sarah’s sister got a text that a house blew up, so we came to see.”
The houses on both sides had siding melt from the fire, Reese said, and firefighters immediately hosed them to prevent any further damage.
Mallory Walsh said they had left a sliding screen door which faces the Klemens’ property open, which she feared meant more smoke damage in their home. Shortly after midnight, the Fire Department let Michael Walsh go into the home to lock up and pack some essentials like diapers and formula for the night.
Contact Melissa Hebert at 329-7129 or mhebert@chroniclet.com.
