1 Dead, 2 Hurt In Maine Duplex Explosion

YARMOUTH, MAINE (CBS) - Residents at the North Gables Condominium complex woke to a tremendous explosion early Tuesday morning that killed one man and injured two others.

"And I just looked around my room and I said our home has been blown up," says condo resident Joan Houghton.

She ran to find her husband who was in the garage. Neither suffered any injuries. Then the two surveyed the damage outside. There was insulation, wood and debris covering the lawns. Windows were blown out.
One unit was leveled.

"Then I'm looking for unit 50, and it wasn't even there and my husband says 'no that unit is flattened out' and that's just two up from us," said Houghton.

The man whose home was destroyed did not survive. Neighbors identify him as Peter Corey who was in his 60's.

"Peter was a very sweet individual," said Houghton.

Corey lived alone.

"Peter was handicapped, he was deaf, he had mobility problems although he was able to get around and go," said Amory Houghton, Joan's husband.

There was no fire and investigators are trying to figure out what triggered the blast.

"There is propane that supplies these units here on scene, that is certainly one of the considerations that we'll be looking for," said Sgt. Ken Grimes with the Maine Fire Marshal's Office.

Most of the 14 units are damaged. Structural engineers are going door to door to determine which ones are safe to occupy before anyone is allowed back in.

Homes as far away as 200 yards sustained damage according to investigators.