NORTHFIELD TOWNSHIP, MI – In a rural area of Michigan, a house exploded, resulting in at least four fatalities and critically injuring two others. The explosion sent debris as far as a mile away, shocking the peaceful Whitmore Lake area near Northfield Township, located about 14 miles north of Ann Arbor.
The incident occurred around 4 p.m. on Saturday, said Lt. David Powell of the Northfield Township Police Department. Six individuals were inside the house during the explosion, four of whom have since died. Authorities have not released their names, pending notification of the families.
The two survivors are now being treated at Michigan Medicine, a trauma center at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. They are listed in critical condition.
According to Powell, the blast could be heard up to 9 miles away, startling local residents. Scott McMillian, a 40-year resident of Whitmore Lake and a war veteran, compared the startling blast to his wartime experiences. “Even in war, I have never heard of anything of this level at this distance,” he stated.
Debris from the explosion landed as far as McMillian’s yard, and numerous videos on social media show the daunting cloud of smoke and debris in the sky post-explosion.
The reason behind the tragic explosion is still under investigation by the Northfield Township Police Department. The blast leveled the house, leaving only remnants of the foundation and the splintered debris in its wake. Powell confirmed it failed to harm neighboring homes.
Remembering the terrifying moment, McMillian said, “I went facedown on the ground and covered the back of my head, and the whole house shook. It was scary.”