A Boston woman is suing Track 15, the food hall inside Providence's historic Union Station, claiming a propane patio heater ruptured and caught fire while she sat nearby, leaving her with severe burns. Michele Crowe alleges the October 2025 blast sent propane leaking around the heater's base before an open flame ignited it, inflicting injuries she says have caused lasting physical pain, emotional distress, disfigurement, and steep medical bills.
Crowe filed a federal lawsuit against Track 15, located at 1 Union Sq. in Providence, after the incident occurred on the venue's outdoor patio, according to WJAR. The lawsuit alleges the heater, its propane tank, its valve, and the propane itself were all defective and unreasonably dangerous, and it names Track 15's operator, the heater's manufacturer, the propane supplier, the valve maker, and the tank maker as defendants in negligence claims. Crowe is reportedly seeking compensation and has requested a jury trial.
Providence fire crews actually responded to Track 15 on the Saturday afternoon of October 4, 2025, after the outdoor propane heater ruptured and caught fire on the patio, resulting in a female patron being hospitalized with burn injuries. The emergency response came just months after the food hall's high-profile debut inside one of Providence's most storied buildings.
A Young Venue With a Big Civic Role
Track 15 had been open for less than seven months when the incident happened. The 18,000-square-foot food hall officially opened on March 18, 2025, following a $25 million restoration of Union Station, as reported by the Brown Daily Herald. The project was designed as a major anchor for downtown Providence's economic revival, per the same account.
The name Track 15 pays tribute to Union Station's 1847 opening as a passenger rail terminal that once operated 14 original tracks before the lines were relocated in the 1980s. The renovated complex was built to host seven food vendors, with plans for outdoor dining on its plaza, the Brown Daily Herald notes. Track 15 was developed by Marsella Development Corporation under president Christopher Marsella. Marsella partnered with Convivium Hospitality Group on the food hall, according to The Public's Radio.
What Safety Rules Require for Patio Heaters
City of Providence guidelines specify that outdoor propane heating appliances used in commercial dining spaces must maintain strict minimum clearances from structures, overhead canopies, and other combustible materials. National Fire Protection Association standards go further, requiring portable outdoor patio heaters to be kept at least three feet from combustible materials and shut off whenever the surrounding area isn't continuously monitored, according to guidance highlighted by the J. J. Keller Compliance Network.
Rhode Island fire safety regulations also give local Authorities Having Jurisdiction the power to inspect, restrict, or outright prohibit open flame heating sources and unvented fuel heaters on commercial properties when safety hazards are identified. Those rules require strict compliance with manufacturer specifications and routine safety inspections.
A Pattern of Heater-Related Injuries Nationwide
The case fits into a broader pattern of harm tied to outdoor heating equipment. A national medical study analyzing emergency department data, published via PubMed Central, estimated that 56,340 burn injuries tied to firepits, fireplaces, and related equipment were treated in U.S. emergency rooms between 2012 and 2024 — roughly 12 patients a day nationwide.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission has previously issued recalls affecting thousands of portable propane heating units over defective gas valves and fuel regulators that allowed propane to leak and create explosion risks, according to The Lyon Firm. Whether Crowe's case involves a manufacturing flaw, improper handling, or a maintenance lapse remains a question for litigation to sort out, as her lawsuit alleges defects spanning the heater, tank, valve, and propane itself alongside claims of venue negligence.
