Annapolis Green Holly Drive Home Explosion
ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Investigators have identified a 76-year-old woman as the victim in a deadly home explosion in Annapolis Wednesday that also left a man injured.
What we know:
Linda Synowczynski was pronounced dead after the explosion in the 1200 block of Green Holly Drive. The male survivor remains hospitalized with burn wounds, Anne Arundel County officials said.
Firefighters spent Wednesday afternoon and evening searching for a propane tank, which FOX 5 has learned has since been located and secured.
Anne Arundel County Fire Department Assistant Chief Larry Schultz said a vendor serviced the home’s propane tank about an hour before the explosion Wednesday. Investigators do not currently know if there is any connection to the explosion.
According to Schultz, the surviving victim suffered severe burns despite there being no visible fire when crews arrived at the scene.
"Propane doesn't naturally have an odor to it; a chemical is added to it so somebody would be able to smell it," he explained. "It may not have visible flames, but there is a flame that you see or don’t see that has extreme heat to it."
Neighbors react
What they're saying:
Neighbor Kassie Insley, who lives three houses down, captured video showing the immediate chaotic aftermath of the blast, including the moments when wood and debris flew into the air.
"I heard a huge explosion; my kids were home. I immediately thought it was a huge car that crashed into the house. I called my kids upstairs and made sure they were okay. I immediately looked outside and saw a bunch of debris in the air, heard people screaming for help; it was awful," Insley said.
FOX 5's Tisha Lewis also spoke with two brothers who were home and sprung into action when the blast happened.
"We saw the feet first, and we didn't hesitate," said Benjamin and Joseph Toms. "Originally we did because of the gas, but as soon as we saw a person, we started CPR immediately."
Speaking about the victims, Insley added, "They've lived there for years and years and years, and I've heard from all the neighbors they were such a lovely couple and so it's really really heartbreaking to hear about it."
What's next:
Two homes surrounding the site, and two homes across the street remained evacuated Thursday as a safety precaution.
A private inspector for the homeowner was on site reviewing damages.
Several homes in the neighborhood are supplied by propane gas, while some others are supplied with natural gas.
The cause of the explosion remains under investigation.
The Source: Information in this article is from Anne Arundel County Fire officials and original FOX 5 DC reporting.