Gas leak suspected in explosion that destroyed house in Kaišiadorys district

An explosion that destroyed a brick house in Kaišiadorys district on Thursday may have been caused by a gas leak, Lithuania’s Fire and Rescue Department said, according to LRT. Burned human remains were found at the scene that evening.

Investigators are examining several possible causes, but a gas leak is among the most likely, department spokeswoman Edita Zdanevičienė told the ELTA news agency on Friday. One domestic gas cylinder was found at the scene intact, leading investigators to suspect that leaking gas caused the blast and subsequent fire.

Emergency services received a report at 6.18pm of an explosion and fire at a woman’s home in Rožių Street, Antakalnis village, in Rumšiškės eldership. The remains were found in a basement near the cylinder. Authorities are trying to establish the person’s identity and suspect they may belong to the homeowner, born in 1965.

Firefighters found the house engulfed in flames. Its walls had collapsed and the roof and ceiling had caved in, leaving about 20% of the walls standing. The cause of the fire is under investigation, and a pre-trial investigation has been opened to determine the cause of death. Authorities have not established whether the house had a smoke detector.