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The incident began in Suffolk County around 9:56 a.m., Thursday, June 25, in the area of Paprocki Avenue and Chestnut Place in West Islip, said the West Islip Fire Department.
Assistant Chief Robert Celeste, who arrived first on the scene, confirmed the tank explosion with an active gas-fed fire and one burn victim.
Firefighters quickly stretched hose lines to start cooling the tank and knocking down the fire, the department said.
As other crews arrived they stretched additional hose lines to protect the neighboring houses.
The town of Islip Hazmat team was immediately requested to respond to handle the overfilled 120-pound tank, fire officials said.
Additional WIFD crews and Suffolk County police officers helped to evacuate the area for precautionary reasons, West Islip Fire said.
Hazmat personnel quickly arrived on the scene and secured the tank to a burn off kit to burn the remainder of the propane in a safe manner.
The burn victim was transported to Stony Brook University Medical Center by West Islip FD EMS.
No additional injuries were reported, the department reported.
It took approximately an hour to bring the scene under control.
All units were under command of Chief of Department Kevin Parrett.
The explosion is under investigation by the Town of Islip Fire Marshal’s and Suffolk County Police Department Arson Squad.
Mutual aid was provided by the Bay Shore Fire Department, the Babylon Fire Department, and the Bay Shore-Brightwaters Ambulance Corp.
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