'He Plugged in the Coffee Pot ... and the House Blew Up'

Devastating blast kills teen girl in Oklahoma City
By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff
Posted Sep 25, 2020 2:00 AM CDT
'He Plugged in the Coffee Pot ... and the House Blew Up'
The remains of a house is seen after and explosion that killed one and left three others injured, Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020 in Oklahoma City.   (Doug Hoke/The Oklahoman via AP)

Authorities say a propane log lighter is likely responsible for a devastating blast that on Thursday morning leveled an Oklahoma City home and left a young girl dead. Berkley Maguire, 14, was killed when her home exploded; her brother and parents were also injured, KOCO reports. Officials believe a propane log lighter in their fireplace was not up to code, malfunctioned, and was leaking propane gas into the house, ABC News reports. "The dad kept saying he plugged in the coffee pot and he was electrocuted and the house blew up. He kept saying that like a thousand times," says a neighbor.

Officials say it could indeed have been the coffee pot that sparked the blast, or even the turning on of a light. At least three other houses were damaged in the explosion, KAKE reports. "When we arrived there was no active fire, it was a completely leveled home with debris up and down the street," the fire chief says. A GoFundMe campaign set up for the family, which has so far raised more than $77,000, says Berkley's father is in the ICU and her mom and brother are also hospitalized. Berkley had just celebrated her 14th birthday. (More Oklahoma stories.)

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