Sunday, at 9:09 a.m., 911 operators received a call regarding a structure fire at 204 Shawtown Road in Pearl River County, Pearl River County Fire Marshal Albert Lee said.
When the homeowner, Deven Fejka, woke at 9 a.m., she went into the kitchen and smelled what she believed to be propane, Lee said.
Fejka ran to her father’s house to ask him to shut off the tank, Lee said.
However, on her way to his house, there was an explosion at Fejka’s house and before she could get back to the home, there was a secondary explosion, Lee said.
Her fiancé, Blake Amacker, was standing inside the front door when the second explosion occurred, Lee said.
Firefighters from Steep Hollow, Amacker Town, Derby Whitesand, the Poplarville Fire Department and Post 58 Fire Department in Hancock County arrived at the residence at 9:18 a.m. and cleared the fire at 12:01 p.m., Lee said.
No injuries were reported but the two-story wood frame structure was destroyed by fire, Lee said.
Monday, Lee and the state fire marshal examined the remains of the home.
“The fire appears to have started in the laundry room,” Lee said. “The cause of the fire is accidental.”