Neighbors rush to save man after car explodes in Holden – Boston 25 News

“It was just a major boom and the house shook,” said Cindy Benoit, a neighbor on Brattle Street. “The left driver’s side tire, the rear one, was completely over the leg. He was laying on his back with his hand out and just saying, ‘Get the car off me!’”

Benoit added: “He kept telling us, ‘Look for his wallet and his phone. Very calm.”

“My dad saw the windshield fly into our front yard. The windshield wiper actually ended up on our front porch,” Benoit’s daughter Paige said.

First responders were called to the scene following 9-1-1 calls.

“Upon arrival, they observed a car that had sustained catastrophic damage and an adult male that neighbors had pulled out from under it.” according to a press release from the State Firefighters Office.

“Based on interviews and evidence at the scene, they collectively determined that the man had stored an acetylene tank in the trunk of his vehicle overnight, where it apparently leaked,” according to a statement from the state fire marshal’s office . “While the exact source of the ignition remains unknown, investigators believe it was accidental.”

The explosion did not cause significant fire damage, investigators said.

A neighbor’s surveillance camera captured the sound of the explosion. You can hear the sound of a bang in the video below.

Acetylene is a compressed gas that is often used with compressed oxygen to power torches.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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