House explosion in New Hampshire leaves 1 dead and 1 injured

Police block a road as a firefighter works on a... — Police block a road as a firefighter works on a water line at a house fire, Thursday, April 4, 2024, in Derry, N.H. Derry Fire Chief Shawn Haggart said his department received reports of an explosion and responded to find a house fully engulfed in flames. Credit: AP/Charles Krupa

By The Associated PressUpdated April 4, 2024

DERRY, N.H. — A house explosion in New Hampshire on Thursday amid a spring storm left one woman dead and a second person injured, authorities said.

Derry Fire Chief Shawn Haggart said his department received reports of an explosion and responded to find a house fully engulfed in flames. One person in the house was killed as a result of the fire. Another person, identified as a female juvenile, was taken to a hospital for her injuries.

Haggart said the cause of the fire remains under investigation but that the New Hampshire State Fire Marshal’s Office concluded that a tree fell on the house near propane tanks that were outside the home.

Haggart said he believes the fire was storm-related, adding that his department was getting a lot of calls for tree branches and wires down due to high winds.

Authorities said they were not releasing identities of the person who died or the person who was injured.