By MES Dispatch staff
The Briefing
- A residential explosion and fire occurred Wednesday morning at a three-family home on Plain Street in Taunton, Massachusetts.
- Two residents — 25-year-old Lucitha Blanc and her 2-year-old daughter, Jenelle Germilus — were seriously injured and transported to the hospital.
- Taunton police body-worn camera footage shows officers assisting residents and clearing snow to locate fire hydrants during the response.
- Firefighters arrived minutes after police and began fire suppression efforts once a hydrant was located.
- Officials say the explosion was caused by a natural gas leak; the investigation remains ongoing.
TAUNTON, Mass. — Body-worn camera footage released by police shows the immediate response to a catastrophic explosion that destroyed a three-family home and injured two residents in Taunton.
The explosion occurred Wednesday morning at 78 Plain Street, where the blast and resulting fire left the structure heavily damaged and fully engulfed when first responders arrived. Authorities said Lucitha Blanc, 25, and her 2-year-old daughter, Jenelle Germilus, were seriously injured and transported to a hospital. Family members later reported both were recovering.
Police officers were first on scene around 9:48 a.m., according to the released footage. The video shows officers assisting residents outside the burning home and working to identify nearby fire hydrants while flames threatened to spread to neighboring structures.
Heavy snow from a recent storm complicated the response, with hydrants buried under large snowbanks. Officers used shovels to dig through the snow while coordinating evacuations and checking nearby homes to ensure no additional residents were inside.
Firefighters arrived at approximately 9:53 a.m., located a hydrant and connected a hose line. Crews began engaging the fire shortly afterward as police continued to assist with scene management and resident safety.
The Taunton Fire Department later announced that a natural gas leak caused the explosion and subsequent fire. Due to extensive structural damage, officials said determining the exact origin of the leak may be difficult. The incident remains under investigation.