Man burned when hunting camp gas tank explodes
Posted By Admin on December 16, 2011
HYNER – A man was severely burned and a camp is gone after a propane lighting malfunction caused an explosion along Dry Run Road just after 5 pm Monday.
Numerous firefighting units from around Clinton County were called or put on standby.
However, due to the remote location and the speed of the blaze, only two brush trucks and less than two dozen firefighters actually made it to the scene.
The injured man, who has yet to be identified by officials, was either in the camp or the vicinity of it when the fire erupted. Reports indicate the man initially was taken to Bucktail Medical Center, then to Lock Haven Hospital and possibly to either Geisinger Medical Center or Lehigh Valley Burn Center.
Chapman Township Deputy Fire Chief Larry Gentzyel did not want to speculate on what occurred, but he said he would not rule out that a rather destructive explosion took place related to the propane gas system that heated the camp.
Gentzyel came to that conclusion considering the huge amount of damage caused in such a short period of time. As the first truck arrived on scene – Chapmans brush truck – the camp was fully involved and very little remained.
After the explosion and fire, the victim managed to get into his truck and drive about a mile to the main branch of Dry Run Road, which starts off of the Hyner straight stretch along state Route 120.
A passerby found the victim laying on his tailgate, where he had positioned himself after getting to the main road. The road is a main artery to the gas drilling industry in western Clinton County.
The camp itself sits one mile off Dry Run Road on a road too narrow and rough for the majority of the fire equipment to maneuver. Portable pumps and a nearby stream were used to control the aftermath.
A propane tank vented while the rescue workers were on scene, according to Gentzyel. The release valve came undone and needed immediate attention before yet another explosion could have occurred, he said.
After the incident was under control, the volunteer firefighters helped to secure the victims vehicle and came to the conclusion that he somehow had cut his hunting clothing off.
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