On Tuesday evening, a residential neighborhood in Racine was shaken by an explosion that tore through a duplex, injuring two people identified as Tim Lapoint, 79, and his daughter Michelle Haws, 58. The explosion was caught on video from a neighbor's security camera, showing the powerful blast and its aftermath. CBS 58 reported that both the father and daughter were hospitalized following the incident.
Upon their 6 p.m. arrival, responding Racine Fire Department crews discovered the devastated duplex, adjacent homes also impacted by the explosion. Amazingly, as noted by wearegreenbay.com, both residents managed to survive the blast. While one escaped by themselves, the other was rescued by a neighbor who, hearing the blast, rushed to aid amidst the rubble.
Relatives of the victims recounted their conditions to WISN 12 News. John Lapoint spoke about his brother and niece, "My brother is on a ventilator because of the heat and the smoke. He may be off today or tomorrow," and, "My niece, she's in a little rougher shape. They said about 30% of her body was burned." Despite the severe burns and medical interventions required, the family remained hopeful for their recovery.
"This is all material things that can be replaced," as he faced the frozen remains of what was once the home his relatives dwelled in, John Lapoint continued, emphasizing the importance of their wellbeing over the lost property. Meanwhile, We Energies, the gas utility company, in a statement reported by WISN 12 News, claimed their equipment at the site functioned correctly, and they had not received any service calls before the explosion. The exact cause of the explosion remains under investigation by fire authorities.
Neighbor Tyler Lau and his partner, Stacie Kraft, did not think twice before springing into action; they were among the first on the scene. Lau, recalling the urgent moment to WISN 12 News, said, "I heard screaming from the inside, and that's when Tim came outside, and he started saying his daughter was in there, his daughter was in there. I ran up there and told them get out of here, because the fire was starting to come out of that window, and I saw her, and I pulled her out of that window." Their quick actions helped save the lives of their neighbors amidst a critical situation.
