OAKLAND — As fire officials investigate the source of a propane leak that led to a house explosion last week on Lakeview Drive, homeowner Cliff Hannon remained Thursday in a Portland hospital with serious injuries.
Oakland fire Chief David Coughlin confirmed the cause of the Thanksgiving Day explosion that destroyed Hannon’s home at 36 Lakeview Drive was a propane leak. He said fire officials are working to determine where exactly the leak originated.
There were four propane gas appliances in the house, he said: a gas dryer, stove and two heating units. The Office of State Fire Marshal and insurance company are working to determine which appliance possibly had a malfunction or leak, according to Coughlin.
Meanwhile, Hannon, 66, who suffered burns and multiple broken bones, appears to be improving, according to Oakland Town Manager Kelly Pinney-Michaud.
“He does not have third degree burns which is a good thing,” Pinney-Michaud said Thursday. “ He did have a shoulder surgery and that went well. He is still intubated. He’s tough and hanging in there.”
A hospital spokesman said Thursday Hannon remains in critical condition.
Houses on either side of the Hannon property are boarded up and uninhabitable. Coughlin said they were substantially damaged and the Office of State Fire Marshal and insurance companies would inspect the homes, and likely a structural engineer would help determine if they are repairable or demolished. The families who lived in those homes are staying with family or friends, Pinney-Michaud said.
Shannon Moss, spokeswoman for the state Department of Public Safety, said Thursday the fire marshal’s office has inspected and documented the scenes, including the houses on either side of the Hannon property.
“The insurance companies will do the assessment on the damages for structural issues,” Moss said in an email. “I do not have a timeframe for their work. Only two homes are currently uninhabitable displacing two families.”
Coughlin said the explosion destroyed doors and windows in the adjacent homes and some ceilings inside collapsed. Part of the concrete foundation of the home that exploded struck the house next door at 40 Lakeview near its peak, causing the wall to buckle.
He said he didn’t know if other homes on the street use propane, although he assumes some do. While propane is relatively safe, many people have expressed concerns in light of the explosion, and Coughlin said he is in the beginning stages of planning a public information session where people in the community can come together and learn about safety issues and ask questions.
He said the American Red Cross was activated after the explosion to help those affected.
Coughlin said officials are still trying to determine whether Hannon was inside his home when the blast occurred as part of the ongoing investigation.
Coughlin expressed optimism about Hannon’s recovery.
“It’s going to be a long recovery but things are going in a positive direction,” he said.
Pinney-Michaud said Hannon’s wife, Dale, was her health teacher and coach when she was in school and has known her since she was a girl. Cliff Hannon is president of the Waterville Sunrise Rotary Club. He has been a rotarian 33 years and is well-known and respected throughout the area for his work helping others.
“You don’t expect anything like this to happen in your town,” Pinney-Michaud said. “They’re just part of the community, and it’s devastating.”
Hannon, a financial advisor, is at MaineHealth Maine Medical Center in Portland and his wife is staying with her sister in the Portland area, according to those who know the family. She was in Florida when the explosion occurred, they said.
The Hannons’ dog, Millie, was injured in the blast, which occurred around 3:30 p.m. Nov. 27, but was treated and is OK, friends said.
The Rotary Club has set up a Venmo account for Hannon and his family at Hannon-Family. People also may donate by mailing checks to the Waterville Sunrise Rotary Club at P.O. Box 1763, Waterville, ME 04901, c/o Hannon Family.