Overheated oil, wood furnace cause of explosion that destroyed Nova Scotia house

WATERVILLE, N.S. – An explosion that destroyed a house in Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley was caused by a combination oil and wood-burning furnace that overheated and ruptured, the provincial fire marshal says.

The explosion was originally thought to be gas related, but Harold Pothier ruled that out after completing his assessment of the explosion that happened shortly after 1 a.m. Tuesday in Westville.

Six people were taken to hospital and all but one of them has been released, the provincial government said in a news release.

RCMP Const. Kelli Gaudet said a 63-year-old man remained in hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Waterville fire Chief Wayne Johnstone said smoke was pouring out of the home on Porter Lane when firefighters arrived, but there was no fire.

There were three adults and three children inside the home at the time, he said.

Johnstone said the home was badly damaged.

“There was total destruction in the house,” he said in an interview. “It shook the house big time.”

Pothier said the fact everyone in the single-storey home was sleeping could have prevented a loss of life.

“Thankfully, the occupants were sleeping, and therefore laying down, which may have saved their lives,” he said in a statement.