By Mark Melady
Telegram & Gazette
WORCESTER, Mass. — An off-duty city firefighter suffered burns to his arms and legs when the house he has been renovating at 69 Heywood St. exploded last night moments after he entered, blowing out windows and bowing walls.
The firefighter, Kenneth L. Baxter, was in good condition last night at UMass Memorial Medical Center - University Campus, according to a nursing supervisor. District Chief Randy A. Chavoor said Firefighter Baxter appeared to have second-degree burns on his arms and legs.
Two men fighting the blaze, Lt. Evans T. Jones and Firefighter William Ekberg, fell off stairs leading to the second floor but were treated at the scene and continued to fight the fire, which destroyed the interior of the second floor and caused an estimated $175,000 in damage.
Firefighter Baxter told other firefighters and neighbors that he smelled gas in the house as soon as he entered about 8:15 p.m., and moments later came the explosion. Though burned, he moved his pickup truck from the driveway to the street to get it out of the way.
District Chief Chavoor said the cause of the explosion had not been determined last night. The state fire marshal and city police were investigating, he said, but did not characterize the fire as suspicious.
“We just want to eliminate some things,” District Chief Chavoor said.
The house has a gas connection. Workers from NSTAR Gas & Electric were at the site attempting to determine the source of a leak, if any.
Neighbors said Firefighter Baxter has been working on the single-family Cape at Heywood and Rosamond streets for about a year, but less so in recent weeks.
Dan Leland, who lives two houses away on Rosamond Street, reported the fire. While sitting at his kitchen table, he heard popping noises. Moments later he left to pick up his daughter and as soon as he stepped from his house he saw flames shooting from the second floor of 69 Heywood St.
John and Louisa Caprioli live directly across the street. They were at home at the time but did not hear the explosion. They did see the flames.
“It’s such a shame, all the work he’s done on the house,” Mrs. Caprioli said.