Yesterday morning, October 27, a 20-foot travel trailer exploded at the Brazeau Mobile Home and RV Park, located off of NE State Highway 104, west of Kingston.
Kitsap County Sheriff’s patrol deputies responded to the park around 9:30 a.m. for a welfare check on a 59- year-old man who lived in the trailer. A family member had reported to KCSO that the man suffered from mental health issues and was acting irrationally.
Deputies approached the trailer and tried to start a conversation with the man but he did not cooperate. Deputies saw a golden retriever inside the trailer with the man. The deputies also detected a strong odor of propane gas and they could hear the gas being discharged.
One deputy opened the trailer’s hot water tank vent flap and saw that the water tank pilot light was lit. He turned off the gas supply to the hot water heater and extinguished the pilot light. He then moved to a second location and tripped a main circuit breaker that cut-off electrical power to the trailer. He located two 10-gallon propane tanks that were mounted onto the trailer and shut the valves.
Both deputies then moved to a position of cover to reduce the possibility of being injured if an explosion occurred. They requested assistance from North Kitsap Fire and Rescue, additional sheriff’s patrol units, and park management.
A deputy called the man’s phone but the man abruptly disconnected.
Fire units arrived on scene at 10:05 a.m. and assisted park management with evacuating nearby park residents. They also provided deputies with an assessment of possible courses of action.
At 10:19, the trailer suddenly exploded. Debris from the blast traveled approximately 30 feet into the air and between 50 and 75 feet out from the trailer chassis.
Almost immediately after the blast the 59 year-old man emerged from the debris. His arms, head, neck, and face were covered in burns. The man wouldn’t comply with deputies’ verbal directions so they could assist him. He picked up a leaking propane tank and carried it around with him, approaching the deputies.
The man’s golden retriever, a female named Misty, survived the blast and was found with neighboring park residents. Her fur was singed and her whiskers were burned away. She was turned over into the care of Kitsap Animal Rescue and transported to the Kitsap Humane Society for veterinary evaluation and treatment.
When told that his dog had been located and had survived and was safe, the man finally complied with deputies’ verbal commands. He was escorted to a waiting aid unit and turned over into the custody of NKFR medic crews. Because of fog that reduced flight visibility, the man was transported via ambulance to Bainbridge to take the ferry to Harborview Medical Center.
In the late afternoon, the KHS Executive Director reported that Misty was in very good shape. Although her fur was singed, she did not sustain any burns to her skin. Staff at the humane society bathed her to remove the soot and burnt hair.
A parallel investigation has been initiated by the Kitsap County Marshal to identify the cause of the explosion.
Photos courtesy of the KCSO.
