Indeed, the tank was intact, and that's because it's a butane leak that caused the explosion, not a ruptured tank.
Now, we'll be revisiting the timeline of events from the explosion, to the quick response of the fire department and to the successful extinguishing the flames - that could have jumped to the LPG Depot across the street, but didn't.
As we told you last night, 7 news happened to be at the fire department when the explosion happened and Emanuel Pech picks up the timeline right there:...
As this security camera shows, it was a casual Monday evening yesterday at the corner of Mahogany and Mopan St. Residents passed by, this man stopped to answer his cellphone. A woman stepped out of a shop. These two kids walked past along the street. And more kids visited the shop.
Unbeknownst to the passers-by, a volatile butane tank was sitting inside an apartment like a ticking time bomb - and they were walking right past what would soon be its blast radius.
Around 4:40 pm, the butane gas ignited and exploded like a bomb, hurling dangerous debris all the way across the street, narrowly missing a man on a bicycle.
Shortly after the explosion the building caught fire and engulfed the nearby residents in a cloud of smoke.
Just by chance, 7news cameras were at the fire department for an interview regarding another fire, when the fire-fighters sounded the alarm and rapidly mobilized in response to this explosion and subsequent fire.
We followed the fire truck to the burning structure on Mahogany Street.
When we arrived, the inside of the lower flat was completely enveloped in flames
GSU secured the area, while the fire fighters strapped up, prepared the hose and worked from outside and inside to get the fire under control."
Neighborhood onlookers came out to witness the source of the commotion for themselves. The evening down pour did little to help the fire that was raging inside the structure.
Only after the fire was contained could authorities get a good look at the extent of the damage.
Orin Smith- Station Officer, Bz City Fire Department
"Preliminary investigation revealed that the lower flat was divided into two apartments. The west apartment was occupied at the time by one individual. The East apartment, although occupied, the tenant wasn't there at the time of the incident. The information received is that the single tenant occupying the west apartment was injured as a result of the incident."
Closer inspection revealed the burglar bars mangled by the pressure of the blast. The door and the burglar bars lay twisted and shattered on the ground.
Part of the northern wall was shattered and the south wall of the building was completely gone.
On the ground lay strewn the scattered remains of what used to be a dwelling.
This vehicle, parked just outside the fence surrounding the source of the blast also received some damages.
Here, authorities inspect what they believe to be the cause of the explosion and subsequent fire.
Orin Smith- Station Officer, Bz City Fire Department
"Preliminary investigations revealed that the incident occurred as a result of a gas leak where the vapors went undetected for some time and was probably triggered by either an open flame or a spark. Could have been from a refrigerator or someone lighting a stove or something to that effect."
Smith explained that the leak had to have been going on for at least a few hours.
According to authorities, evidence suggests that the gas leakage occurred in one apartment but the source of the ignition was on the adjacent apartment on the same flat.
Orin Smith- Station Officer, Bz City Fire Department
"Based on the extent of the damage it is believed that the apartment on the East side is where the leak occurred and it was triggered by a source of emission on the west."
The extensive damage has made it difficult to establish the source of the leakage but authorities say it was either from the hoses, which were burnt off or the pressure relief valve, which was also blown off from at least one gas tank. Reporting for 7 news Emanuel Pech.
According to Station Officer Smith, the explosion likely wouldn't have happened if the gas tanks were outside of the apartment. In that situation, the leaking butane would have dissipated in the open air, instead of getting concentrated in the enclosed room, creating a volatile and highly flammable atmosphere. Station Officer Smith said that in the case where a leak is detected the best thing to do is ventilate the area, evacuate the building and call the Fire Department.
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