House explodes while police on scene for barricaded person

By Associated Press AP

PUBLISHED 1:42 PM ET May. 09, 2019

NORTH HAVEN, Conn. (AP) — A barn behind a house in Connecticut exploded Wednesday night while police and a SWAT team were negotiating with a man who had taken his wife hostage, leaving seven people including at least six officers injured, officials said.

The officers were taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries after the explosion around 8:30 p.m., North Haven First Selectman Michael Freda said.

The wife, he said, escaped before the blast.

"This started late this afternoon with what was apparently a very violent domestic call," Freda told WTIC-TV. The police "were trying to coax him ... out of the house and really try to calm the situation down. Then things took a turn for the worse with an explosion."

Freda said the six officers suffered cuts, abrasions and bruises and were taken to Yale New Haven hospital. It was not immediately known if the wife was also being treated at the hospital, which said it had seven patients.

Police were heard continuing to try to coax the man out of the house even after the explosion. State police said the suspect had not yet been apprehended and called it an active situation.

"It's quite surprising," Freda said. "This is a quiet residential neighborhood. It's been a very emotional scene."

Residents near the home said on the police department's Facebook page that they heard the explosion and felt their own homes shake. Additional police rushed to the scene as the fire raged, and sounds of smaller explosions also were heard.

North Haven resident Joan Mazurek, 76, a retired accountant, heard what she thought was a train at her home about a mile away from the scene. It was the explosion.

"Then we heard all the, oh my God, all the ambulances and fire engines. The noise from all the emergency vehicles was unbelievable," she said. "It's a shock. Nothing ever happens like this in North Haven."

Firefighters worked to get the blaze under control hours later.

State police said they were assisting North Haven police with the investigation. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives also responded to the scene.

North Haven is located just outside of New Haven, home to Yale University.

It's 27 miles (43 km) south of Hartford, Connecticut's capital.