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Police officers and firefighters responded to a report of a house explosion at Westfield Drive home in Holliston around 3:55 p.m. on Monday, July 24, and found two men with injuries extensive enough to require helicopter transport to trauma centers, according to the Holliston Fire Department.
The two injured men who had been in the home at the time of the incident were found in a front yard across the street. First responders administered medical care on the scene and requested two medical helicopters to take both victims to trauma centers.
Holliston High School, on Hollis Street, became a landing pad for the two UMass Memorial LifeFlight helicopters.
One of the men was flown to Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston and the other was flown to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.
Smoke alarms and some light smoke were visible in the house where the incident occurred, but no flames. Firefighters entered the home and shut off the electricity at the main electrical panel in the basement, as well as a propane tank on the home's exterior.
A positive pressure fan was used to remove smoke from the building and lower the carbon monoxide levels. The house then was examined and secured by town inspectional services and public safety investigators.
A preliminary investigation determined that the two men were troubleshooting oil-burning equipment at the time of the incident. The equipment malfunctioned after an electrical storm on the evening of Friday, July 21.
"Lightning storms can cause electrical surges across many neighborhoods," said Fire Chief Michael Cassidy. "The availability of air medical transport, and nearby burn centers verified by the American Burn Association and the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma will all hopefully lead to positive outcomes for these individuals.”
The fire department advises homeowners to contact an electrician and their insurance company to assess possible damage and inspect for fire hazards if their home is damaged by an electrical surge.
The following organizations and individuals responded to the scene:
- Holliston Fire Department
- Holliston Police Department
- Ashland Fire Department ALS ambulances
- Medway Fire Department ALS ambulances
- UMass Memorial LifeFlight
- The Wiring Inspector and Assistant Building Inspector
The incident remains under investigation by the Holliston Fire Department.
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