Shaken but thankful

Neighbor relates horror of Poland house explosion

By JOHN W. GOODWIN JR.

VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER

Those living close to a house that exploded early Saturday morning see much to be thankful for amid the broken windows and charred remnants of the home.

Center Road resident Jodi Hunt stood outside Sunday looking at the charred remains of what once was the house at 2816 Center Road, the home of her neighbors Janice Brahler and 17-year-old Kayla. By Sunday all that remained of the home were piles of burnt ashes, a back wall, part of a chimney and an untouched garage.

Hunt, who lives a whisper from where the explosion took place, has relived the experience in her dreams but is grateful her neighbors and the rest of the community were not hurt in the explosion. Hunt has spoken to Brahler and her daughter since the explosion. She said they are shaken by the experience but doing fine.

Hunt, who lives with her husband and 78-year-old mother, said she was in bed at 6:20 a.m. Saturday when she was awakened by a phone call from a county representative telling her there was a gas leak and the neighborhood would have to be evacuated. She was standing near a bedroom window when she heard the explosion and looked outside in time to see the house collapse.

“The walls caved in, and then it all came down and fell in on itself,” she said.

Hunt has since moved her mother to a relative’s house until the smell of smoke is no longer evident in her home. The elderly woman has breathing difficulties and heart problems.

Firefighters approached the front door with hand-held meters that indicated a dangerously high level of gas. As they tried to shut it off a short time later, the two-story home exploded, pinning one firefighter near the front porch. Five firefighters were sent to area hospitals for treatment of minor injuries.

Troy Stewart, an eight-year veteran of the Western Reserve Joint Fire District, was one of the firefighters slightly injured in the explosion. He was thrown from the front porch into the driveway.

Stewart received minor cuts and bruises. He is happy the incident did not mean greater injury to himself and other firefighters.

“I am feeling better, just a little sore. We were all lucky. I am just trying to forget about it now,” he said.

Chief David Comstock, Western Reserve Joint Fire District, said all five firefighters have been released from the hospital. He said the worst injury received was a broken nose, he said.

“Mostly they are just really, really sore,” he said. “This is nothing short of a miracle.”

Hunt said she remembers Brahler mentioning having furnace problems in the home sometime last week. She said the woman called a furnace company representative who told her the issue was not with her furnace and that she would need to call the gas company.

Comstock said officials believe the explosion was gas-related, but no definite determination will be made until a full investigation has been completed. He said fire officials and representatives from Dominion East Ohio Gas Company will be at the site today to continue the investigation.

The Hunts and another neighbor received several broken windows in their homes. The Hunts are also having their home checked for foundation damage.

jgoodwin@vindy.com