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SALT LAKE CITY — An apartment building was evacuated Friday night, after it is believed that a propane tank burst inside one of the units.
Salt Lake City Fire Capt. Todd Hoover said the unit's occupant was reaching into a cupboard and knocked over a small metal cylinder containing propane — typically used when camping. The cylinder was leaking propane and somehow ignited, blasting the unit's windows out, as well as moving one of the internal walls, Hoover said.
The occupant's hair was singed by the vapor explosion and he was taken to University Hospital in good condition, as a precaution.
"It was quite a shock to him," Hoover said.
A dozen units of the apartment building, located near 2000 South and 200 East, were evacuated while an investigation was conducted. Hoover said the occupants would be allowed to return to their homes before the night was over.
Propane should not typically be stored indoors, but Hoover said it is not always practical to keep it outside. He said that if a cylinder is believed to be leaking, "get it outside as soon as possible, where it can vent safely."
Email:wleonard@ksl.com
