Baltic Gas Leak Linked To Heater Theft

Two Baltic firefighters were inside a garage Monday night investigating a gas leak when the garage exploded.

By Brian Allen KSFY
Jan 12, 2010 at 5:36 PM CST

Monday night's garage explosion in Baltic was apparently the result of the theft of a gas powered heater.

Two firefighters were inside that garage when it blew up but they weren't hurt. But now the focus shifts to who stole the heater and created such a dangerous situation.

We've learned Monday night's activity in Baltic began first as a call to police about stolen property. Then firefighters were called for the smell of gas in the area. It's while firefighters were responding that the garage blew with two firefighters inside.

Baltic fire crews kept our cameras about a half-mile away from the scene of the garage blast Monday night and now we know why. Even after the explosion, there remained high levels of gas in the area and first responders didn't want to take any chances.

"Whoever came in and took the heater didn't shut it off that's basically...it appears the garage was full of gas at the time." Baltic Fire Chief Michael Koopman tells Action News because of the on-going nature of the investigation into the blast, there are certain pieces of information he can't yet talk about. What he is saying is that when firefighters arrived, the gas level in the air inside the garage was at a dangerous level and something, Koopman doesn't know what, ignited that gas which led to the garage exploding with two firefighters inside. Koopman says those firefighters are a pair of lucky guys. "Everybody that was anywhere close to that could be you know with flying debris or anything like that, you bet."

We asked to speak with those two firefighters but were told they won't be available for interviews until this entire investigation is complete.

Right now, there are no good leads on who stole the heater in the first place. But authorities want to find this person soon so they can hear the first hand story about what happened Monday night.