Lawn-mowing crew hits propane tank hidden in long grass, causing explosion in Detroit neighborhood

Blast shatters family's windows on Detroit's west side

DETROIT – A lawn mower sliced through a propane tank hidden in tall grass, causing an explosion that rocked a neighborhood and blew out a family's windows on Detroit's west side.

The blast happened Wednesday morning near Manor and West Chicago streets.

"It was like a boom, like boom," homeowner Dalisha Thomas said. "It blew all of our windows out on this side of the house -- all of my sister's windows, my windows, the bathroom windows, the windows upstairs are cracked and everything."

Officials said a mowing crew arrived to cut the tall grass at a vacant lot next door to the home.

The crew didn't clear the lot of debris and didn't know there was a propane tank hidden under the grass, according to authorities.

A lawn mower struck a propane tank, causing an explosion that shook an entire neighborhood on Detroit's west side. (WDIV)

A mower sliced into the propane tank and caused the explosion, shattering eight windows of the home next door, officials said.

"It could've lit the whole house up, actually, but it didn't, thank God," Thomas said.

City officials sent a crew out to board up the windows for safety reasons. They're working with the city-contracted mowing crew to pay for new windows.

City officials said they're also going to tow out the cars and all the junk on the lot.

The family was scared by the blast, but there are no reports of serious injuries. The contractor was shaken up by the incident, but is doing OK, officials said.

An explosion blew out the windows of a family's home on Detroit's west side. (WDIV)
A family said eight windows were shattered by the explosion on Detroit's west side. (WDIV)

About the Authors:

Local 4 Defender Shawn Ley is an Emmy award-winning journalist who has been with Local 4 News for more than a decade.

Derick is the Lead Digital Editor for ClickOnDetroit and has been with Local 4 News since April 2013. Derick specializes in breaking news, crime and local sports.