News
Explosion victims recovering
By John Mason
Hudson-Catskill Newspapers
ELIZAVILLE — The members of the Hess family of Jackson Corners Road are recuperating in three area hospitals after their house exploded shortly after 11:09 a.m. Sunday morning, “lucky to be alive,” according to the local fire chief.
Livingston Fire Chief Jack Lasher said the explosion could be heard “all over Elizaville,” and that on his way to the fire from across the Hudson River, he could see the smoke from Coxsackie.
Walter Hess Sr. and Helga Hess, both in their mid-60s, and Walter Hess Jr., in his mid-40s, returned from a trip to the Adirondacks to find their home full of propane gas, Lasher said in a prepared statement. They investigated at the rear of the house and discovered a 200-pound LP tank leaking from the bottom.
“They called 911 and were in the process of exiting the house when it blew,” he said. “Our first truck was just pulling in the driveway at the time, with a second truck behind it. The structure was blown all over the place with heavy fire in the front portion of the house still standing.
“The firefighters made an interior attack with a hand line through the front portion of the house and found the three occupants in the kitchen area partially buried under rubble,” said the chief. “They removed two out through the front portion before the fire forced them to exit through the rear section with the third victim. Then they proceeded to extinguish the fire from the outside.
“Had the first crew that entered the structure been a few minutes later, the incident wouldn’t have turned out as good as it did,” he said. “All three occupants were conscious when pulled out, and are recuperating at different hospitals.”
Walter Hess Sr. was airlifted to Westchester Burn Unit, where Lasher spoke to him Monday afternoon.
“His spirits are good,” Lasher said. “He’s burned on top of his head, lost some hair; he has cuts and bruises, puncture wounds on his chest, and he’s complaining about his back.”
Walter Hess Jr. was airlifted to St. Francis Hospital in Poughkeepsie. He suffered the worst injuries, the chief said, with fractured hips, a dislocated shoulder and a broken kneecap.
“He will be laid up awhile,” Lasher said.
Helga Hess was transported to Columbia Memorial Hospital. She was supposed to be released Monday, but began vomiting in the hospital, and was complaining of chest pains, so she will remain there a few days, he said.
“They’re all lucky to be alive,” Lasher called the explosion “strange.” No cause had been identified by the Columbia County Cause & Origin Team and State Fire Team as of Monday.
“There was a leak in the bottom of the tank you could put your pinky in,” he said. “Generally, if the tank is overfilled, it bleeds off the top.” In this case, he said, it vented into the cellar and under the house; since propane is heavier than air, it goes to the lowest point.
“Somewhere along the line, there was an ignition point,” he said. “A refrigerator or a dehumidifier going on, or someone flipping a light switch. We can’t find the source — there are too many things — until the Cause & Origin Team talks to the family — maybe they can come up with the answers.”
Mutual aid was provided by Taghkanic, Pine Plains, Milan, Red Hook, Germantown, Clermont, and Greenport fire companies, with Northern Dutchess Paramedics, Community Rescue and Milan and Greenport rescue squads also responding. The Ancram Fire Company stood by.
Also on the scene were state police investigators, the state Office of Fire Prevention and Control, Suburban Propane, National Grid, and the county EMS and fire coordinators.
Lasher said there were approximately 50 to 60 personnel on the scene, “and I want to personally thank them all for a job well done, with special thanks to the first crew in.
“Curtis Turner assisted with an excavator to remove parts of the building so the investigators could try and find the source of the ignition,” he said.
The Hesses have relatives and good friends in the area. Once they are released from the hospitals, the Columbia County Fire Chiefs Association will give them clothing vouchers. The Red Cross has also been contacted for housing assistance.
To reach reporter John Mason, call 518-828-1616, ext. 2272, or e-mail jmason@registerstar.com.
ELIZAVILLE — The members of the Hess family of Jackson Corners Road are recuperating in three area hospitals after their house exploded shortly after 11:09 a.m. Sunday morning, “lucky to be alive,” according to the local fire chief.
Livingston Fire Chief Jack Lasher said the explosion could be heard “all over Elizaville,” and that on his way to the fire from across the Hudson River, he could see the smoke from Coxsackie.
Walter Hess Sr. and Helga Hess, both in their mid-60s, and Walter Hess Jr., in his mid-40s, returned from a trip to the Adirondacks to find their home full of propane gas, Lasher said in a prepared statement. They investigated at the rear of the house and discovered a 200-pound LP tank leaking from the bottom.
“They called 911 and were in the process of exiting the house when it blew,” he said. “Our first truck was just pulling in the driveway at the time, with a second truck behind it. The structure was blown all over the place with heavy fire in the front portion of the house still standing.
“The firefighters made an interior attack with a hand line through the front portion of the house and found the three occupants in the kitchen area partially buried under rubble,” said the chief. “They removed two out through the front portion before the fire forced them to exit through the rear section with the third victim. Then they proceeded to extinguish the fire from the outside.
“Had the first crew that entered the structure been a few minutes later, the incident wouldn’t have turned out as good as it did,” he said. “All three occupants were conscious when pulled out, and are recuperating at different hospitals.”
Walter Hess Sr. was airlifted to Westchester Burn Unit, where Lasher spoke to him Monday afternoon.
“His spirits are good,” Lasher said. “He’s burned on top of his head, lost some hair; he has cuts and bruises, puncture wounds on his chest, and he’s complaining about his back.”
Walter Hess Jr. was airlifted to St. Francis Hospital in Poughkeepsie. He suffered the worst injuries, the chief said, with fractured hips, a dislocated shoulder and a broken kneecap.
“He will be laid up awhile,” Lasher said.
Helga Hess was transported to Columbia Memorial Hospital. She was supposed to be released Monday, but began vomiting in the hospital, and was complaining of chest pains, so she will remain there a few days, he said.
“They’re all lucky to be alive,” Lasher called the explosion “strange.” No cause had been identified by the Columbia County Cause & Origin Team and State Fire Team as of Monday.
“There was a leak in the bottom of the tank you could put your pinky in,” he said. “Generally, if the tank is overfilled, it bleeds off the top.” In this case, he said, it vented into the cellar and under the house; since propane is heavier than air, it goes to the lowest point.
“Somewhere along the line, there was an ignition point,” he said. “A refrigerator or a dehumidifier going on, or someone flipping a light switch. We can’t find the source — there are too many things — until the Cause & Origin Team talks to the family — maybe they can come up with the answers.”
Mutual aid was provided by Taghkanic, Pine Plains, Milan, Red Hook, Germantown, Clermont, and Greenport fire companies, with Northern Dutchess Paramedics, Community Rescue and Milan and Greenport rescue squads also responding. The Ancram Fire Company stood by.
Also on the scene were state police investigators, the state Office of Fire Prevention and Control, Suburban Propane, National Grid, and the county EMS and fire coordinators.
Lasher said there were approximately 50 to 60 personnel on the scene, “and I want to personally thank them all for a job well done, with special thanks to the first crew in.
“Curtis Turner assisted with an excavator to remove parts of the building so the investigators could try and find the source of the ignition,” he said.
The Hesses have relatives and good friends in the area. Once they are released from the hospitals, the Columbia County Fire Chiefs Association will give them clothing vouchers. The Red Cross has also been contacted for housing assistance.
To reach reporter John Mason, call 518-828-1616, ext. 2272, or e-mail jmason@registerstar.com.
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