Gas leak identified as cause of Taunton house explosion

Local News

Investigators are still determining exactly where the leak is located and what caused the gas to ignite, according to fire officials.

Investigators have identified a natural gas leak as the cause of a devastating explosion and fire that destroyed a Taunton home and seriously injured two people Wednesday morning.

Fire officials are still determining the exact location of the leak and cause of ignition due to “the catastrophic damage caused by the explosion and subsequent fire,” the Taunton Fire Department said in a press release. No foul play is suspected, the department said.

The Taunton fire and police departments responded to 78 Plain St. just before 10 a.m. after receiving reports of an explosion. When they arrived, they found the three-family home fully engulfed in flames.

A 25-year-old mother and her 2-year-old daughter were severely injured and immediately hospitalized. The mother was taken to Rhode Island Hospital, and her child was taken to Hasbro Children’s Hospital, both in Providence.

“From what I believe, the female got out. She realized the child was inside the house,” Taunton Fire Chief Steven Lavigne said. “She went back in for her child, and that’s when she suffered her injuries.”

The home was completely destroyed and displaced eight residents. Two neighboring homes also sustained significant fire damage, fire officials said.

“Our hearts are with this young mother and her daughter as they fight to recover,” Taunton Mayor Shaunna O’Connell said in the statement. “This is a devastating event for their family and for the Plain Street neighborhood.”

The investigation into the explosion, supported by fire officials, Eversource, and the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities, remains ongoing, according to the fire department. Several gas service providers will conduct follow-up inspections and analysis in the coming days.

In light of the explosion, the Taunton Fire Department reminded residents to immediately get outside and call 911 if they smell natural gas in their homes or any building. They further cautioned residents against using “household appliances, electrical switches, electronic devices, or anything that could start a spark” if there is any sign of a gas leak.

Since the explosion and fire, there has been a surge of support from community members who want to help.

Taunton resident Jillian Fitts created a fundraiser for the injured mother and daughter. The GoFundMe page states that they are next-door neighbors to Fitts’ sister, for whom she also created a fundraiser.

“The fire not only destroyed much of what they owned, but also resulted in the mom and her two-year-old daughter being sent to the hospital,” the page reads. “It’s heartbreaking to see a family in our community go through such a traumatic event, especially when young children are involved.”

As of Thursday night, the fundraiser for the mother and daughter had received more than $33,000 from more than 750 donors, and the page for Fitts’ sister has received more than $8,000 from more than 150 donors.

Fundraisers have also been started for Tracy Middendorf and Sara Donovan, two more Taunton residents who have been impacted. They had received more than $8,000 and $4,000, respectively, as of Thursday night.

“Sara has always been the type of person to put others first, going out of her way to help friends, neighbors, and even strangers,” the GoFundMe page for Donovan reads. “Now, she and her father are facing the unimaginable — trying to rebuild their lives from scratch while managing urgent medical needs.”