Dramatic bodycam footage has captured the chaotic moments after a powerful gas explosion triggered a massive house fire in Taunton, Massachusetts, leaving a young mother and her toddler with life-threatening burns.
The video shows police officers rushing door-to-door on February 25, urging residents to evacuate and frantically asking locals where nearby fire hydrants were located after nearly 29 inches of snow buried them from sight.
Cops Scramble to Find Hydrants in Snow During House Fire That Critically Injures MomDramatic bodycam footage shows Taunton, Massachusetts, police officers frantically searching for fire hydrants buried under 29 inches of snow as a gas-explosion-fueled blaze tore through a home… pic.twitter.com/vAvegiZKZM
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“Hey, where are the hydrants at? You know where the hydrants are?” one officer can be heard shouting in the footage as flames engulfed the home and threatened to spread to neighbouring houses.
Officers continued evacuating residents while searching for hydrants so firefighters could connect hoses and begin tackling the blaze. According to reports, firefighters located a hydrant about five minutes after police first arrived at the scene and started battling the fire at around 9:58 am.
Authorities said the explosion occurred when 25-year-old Lucitha Blanc turned on the stove while cooking pancakes for her two-year-old daughter, Janelle.
The blast left both mother and child with severe burns that police described as “life-threatening”.
They survived the incident but the explosion and subsequent fire gutted the interior of their home.
In the days following the disaster, the local community rallied to support the affected families. A Taunton restaurant organised a fundraiser where 20 per cent of customer bills over the weekend were donated to those impacted by the explosion.
Residents and neighbours also arranged raffles and donations, raising thousands of dollars to help families who lost their homes and belongings in the fire. Displaced residents are currently staying with relatives while they work to rebuild their lives.
