A car slammed into a home on Roosevelt Boulevard in Middletown around 3 a.m. Friday, shearing off the gas meter and igniting an explosion and fire that left the house a total loss. The driver took off on foot, abandoning an injured passenger inside the vehicle. At least three people inside the home managed to escape before flames tore through the structure.
The crash happened in the 4200 block of Roosevelt Boulevard, according to fox19.com. Assistant Fire Chief Steve Ludwig said the impact sheared the gas meter, which immediately ignited the house. “I determined that we had a gas leak from the car hitting the house and shearing the gas meter. At that point, it ignited the house, resulting in a house fire,” Ludwig said, according to the station's report.
The driver fled the scene on foot, leaving behind a passenger who was hurt in the crash, the outlet reported. That passenger was taken to a hospital with what WLWT described as minor injuries. No further details on the passenger's identity or condition were available.
Family Escapes as Flames Engulf the House
Inside the home, at least three occupants got out before the fire consumed the structure, per the same account from WLWT. None of them were reported injured. The house, however, did not survive — WLWT reports it is considered a total loss.
Duke Energy crews responded to handle the damaged electric and gas lines at the scene, the station noted. The American Red Cross was also on scene, assisting the family that has now been displaced from their home, per fox19.com's reporting.
Driver Still Not Identified as Investigation Continues
As of Friday morning, the driver who fled had not been identified, and the cause of the crash remained under investigation, according to the same source. Police have not released further details about what led the vehicle to strike the home in the first place.
