Man hurt after possible propane explosion at Lemon Grove home, officials say

A man suffered significant burns after a possible propane explosion inside his home in Lemon Grove on Sunday, officials said.

The blast in O’Niel Williams’ home rocked the condo complex on Broadway near state Route 125 around 10:30 a.m. It blew out the windows on that floor, and the heat and pressure pushed the garage door out past its limits.

San Diego County Sheriff’s deputies and firefighters with the Heartland Fire Department quickly responded to the explosion and determined it happened in the living room.

“I heard this big boom. Just a boom,” neighbor and HOA board member Marie Santillanes said.

She says Williams has lived there for a decade and is a friend to many people.

“Nicest guy, just a great guy,” Santillanes said. “He even helped me with my house on a couple of occasions.”

Friends drove Williams to the VA hospital in La Jolla, and he was transferred to the UC San Diego Burn Center, which is where he is being treated. Neighbors say he had second-degree burns from his chin to his waistline.

Aiyana Newson, Williams’ closest friend in the complex, wasn’t home at the time.

“Scared, wanted to make sure he is definitely OK,” Newson said. “He’s like a brother to me. He’s been around each other for a while. He’s very helpful, tries to help anybody that he can.”

NBC 7 ran into her while she was on her way to see Williams at the hospital. She said the two spoke earlier Monday.

“He sounded in good spirits when I talked to him,” she said.

The sheriff’s Bomb/Arson Unit is investigating the incident, and detectives say evidence suggests this was a propane explosion.

Neighbors say Williams routinely grills on a small propane-powered hibachi on his deck.

“Someone else was saying he was trying to use that grill to warm his house up on the inside,” Santillanes said.

According to the National Weather Service, the temperature was 53 degrees at 10:30 a.m. Sunday in Lemon Grove.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission strongly discourages such risky behavior because it can cause fire, carbon monoxide build-up and explosions.

While Williams was getting a ride to the hospital, his dog Wanda jumped through a glass window. She was injured but not seriously and is in custody of Chula Vista Animal Control, according to neighbors.