Two men suffered serious burn injuries after a powerful house explosion rocked a northeast Canton neighborhood early Thursday morning, damaging nearby homes and prompting evacuations as investigators continue working to determine what caused the blast.
The explosion occurred at approximately 4 a.m. at a home in the 1600 block of Bonnot Place NE, according to the Canton Fire Department.
Fire officials told Jordan Miller News the explosion was so powerful it was felt at the Canton Fire Department’s Central Fire Station in downtown Canton, several miles from the scene.
When firefighters arrived, they found the residence heavily damaged and engulfed in flames.
One adult male was reportedly blown from the home by the force of the explosion. Fire officials said he suffered severe burn injuries covering approximately 80% of his body and was transported to Aultman Hospital. He is expected to be transferred to the Burn Center at Akron Children’s Hospital for specialized treatment.
Initially, emergency crews believed a second person remained trapped inside the destroyed home. Excavators were requested to assist firefighters in searching through the debris.
However, Canton Division Fire Chief Steve Henderson later told Jordan Miller News crews were unable to locate the second individual in the rubble. Henderson said it was possible the man had also been blown from the house by the force of the explosion, and firefighters expanded their search of the surrounding neighborhood.
The Canton Fire Department later confirmed that at approximately 8:21 a.m., firefighters, EMS personnel and fire investigators responded to the 1500 block of Bonnot Place NE after locating the second victim. Officials said the adult man had suffered severe burns and determined he was the second person involved in the earlier house explosion.
The man was transported to Aultman Hospital and is expected to be transferred to the Burn Center at Akron Children’s Hospital for specialized treatment, according to the fire department.
The explosion also caused damage to neighboring homes. Three people inside the house next door were able to escape safely before emergency crews arrived, though their residence sustained damage from the blast.
Officials also told Jordan Miller News that multiple homes on Bonnot Place NE were being evacuated Thursday after the explosion compromised their structural integrity. Emergency officials and engineers are continuing to assess the affected properties to determine when it is safe for residents to return.
The Canton Fire Department said the cause of the explosion remains under investigation.
