A Massachusetts man endured “serious injuries” following a car explosion, leading his neighbors to mount a heroic rescue that possibly saved his life.
“That man was transported to an area hospital with serious injuries,” stated the fire marshal’s office.
Investigators found that an acetylene tank leaked in the man’s trunk overnight, though the exact ignition source is still unknown. The explosion is presumed to be accidental.
Before first responders reached the scene, neighbors hurried to manage the chaos after hearing the explosion.
“It was just a major boom and the house shook,” recalled resident Cindy Benoit. “The left driver-side tire, the rear one, was completely over his lower leg. He was laying flat on his back with his hand out, and he was just saying, ‘Get the car off me!’”
“He kept telling us, ‘Look for his wallet and phone.’ Very calm,” she added.
Benoit’s daughter recounted how her dad “saw the windshield fly into our front yard.”
“The windshield wiper actually ended up by our front porch,” she added.
Acetylene is a colorless, compressed flammable gas commonly used in welding.
