Explosion

It felt like an IED video... just a sudden, unexpected pop that sounded like a balloon. A very loud balloon sure. A black cat went running across the street, along with timber and glass. then a fraction of a second later the front porch buckled and fell forward into the yard.

I pulled out my phone and called the police. Busy signal. Called again, phone didn't connect through, shouted at others to call.

Holding a package, Griff is freaking out.

A number of men are running into the house next store. Screaming is coming. A few children are pulled out. An older woman. Then eventually a man from the house which is missing its front. He looks almost comical, covered in soot.

It's chaos, no one knows if there are more people inside, Griff is trying to get one of the boys to sit down. The back of his head has been blown open, exposing a 6 x 1 inch slice of brain. He trots off, unwilling to sit down.

The older woman, a grandmother of three, is frantic, unable to be clear. The men go back into her house, the fire trucks are showing up, then the police, then more fire trucks. it seems like an eternity before he medics show up. we're walking away from the seen when they do. Griff doesn't want to see what the firemen have found.

I returned later to check on friends across the alley. They are fine thankfully -- not there during the blast. the firemen have said the owner (the sooty man) had a propane tank on a space heater. Perhaps an O2 tank. The grandmother says he didn't have a working furnace, during a short sob filled interview on TV. He was trying to stay warm.

Very surreal evening.