STAFFORD – Authorities have determined the cause of a fatal explosion which started a house fire early Tuesday morning.
Kevin Thomas, 45, was found outside on the front lawn of the home on Neptune Drive and suffered serious burns to his upper torso. He was airlifted to Temple Burn Center in Philadelphia, where he later succumbed to his injuries, officials said.
Authorities determined that the explosion came from the southwest corner bedroom and was caused due to the “release of propane from a tank to an open flame.”
Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer and Stafford Township Police Chief Thomas Dellane acknowledged the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit-Arson Squad, Stafford Township Police Department, Stafford Township Detective Bureau, Ocean County Fire Marshal’s Office, Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit and the Berkeley Township Hazmat Unit for their collective assistance in this investigation.
