FDNY: House Explosion That Hurt at Least 3 Was Accidental, Due to Improper Use of Gasoline

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Fire that broke out Monday afternoon after house exploded in Brooklyn and injured at least three was determined to be accidental, FDNY said
The fire was determined to be accidental due to the improper use of gasoline, the FDNY announced via Twitter on Tuesday
A call about the blast at the home near Friel Place and East 8th Street in Kensington came in around 1:30 p.m. Monday

The fire that broke out Monday afternoon after a house exploded in Brooklyn and injured at least three people was determined to be accidental due to the improper use of gasoline, the FDNY announced via Twitter on Tuesday.

A call about the blast at the home near Friel Place and East 8th Street in Kensington came in around 1:30 p.m. Monday.

A resident of the home was cleaning up paint with gasoline in the basement when the explosion happened, leaving him with serious burns on more than 20 percent of his body, according to a law enforcement source. Falling debris after the explosion injured two neighbors at an adjoining house.

According to FDNY, three people were injured as a result of the explosion. The most serious of the injuries was the man painting in the basement, who officials said sustained burns on his face and legs.

Chopper 4 showed a huge FDNY presence at the scene, smoke billowing around the dozens of firefighters who stood on the roof and the ground. Debris filled an alley to the right of the home, the side of which appeared completely blown out along with windows and doors.

A preliminary Department of Buildings investigation by the DOB determined that the building is no longer structurally stable and is danger of collapse, the department said, adding that it has ordered "an immediate emergency declaration for demolition of the building, to ensure the safety of the public."