Howard Ave. Home Explodes; 5 Sent To Hospital

(Updated) When a loud boom shook the Hill Saturday morning, Jmar Perez rushed outside and watched in tears as firefighters hosed down the ruins of his best friend’s house.

Jmar (at left in photo, with Carlos Muñez at center) later found out Jonathan Santos and his family had miraculously escaped to safety as a three-alarm fire destroyed their house at 305 Howard Ave. Two adjacent houses were severely damaged in the fire. A total of 14 people were in the homes at the time of the fire; they all escaped without injury.

All five members of the Santos family who lived in the exploded home — two teenagers and three adults — were sent to Yale-New Haven Hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation.

The dramatic scene began at 7:40 a.m. at 305 Howard Ave. The Santos’ single-family home exploded with a boom, shaking other houses, jolting neighbors awake, and sending a crowd of onlookers into the street. The house collapsed immediately after the explosion.

Mayoral spokeswoman Elizabeth Benton said the cause of the fire remains unknown.

Angelica Colon (at left with her sister Jessica), a cousin of the Santos family, said she was sleeping in her house across the street when she heard the explosion.

“Our entire house shook. It felt like an earthquake,” she said. ​“Thank God everybody got out safe.” 

Neighbor Nilsa Nieves said when she heard the sound, ​“I thought it was my mom slamming the door, until I went to the window and saw the house on fire. I couldn’t believe my eyes.”

Jmar and two friends huddled together behind yellow police caution tape Saturday morning as firefighters tended to the flames. They looked on in disbelief at the collapsed house as tears streamed down their faces.

“That’s my best friend’s house. We hang out with them every day after school,” said Jmar. The boys all live a block from one another. 

He later learned that the Santos family managed to escape the burning home by jumping over a fence behind their property. Within minutes, they watched their home collapse in ruins.

The fire took place just a few blocks away from the Howard Avenue firehouse. Firefighters arrived on the scene within five minutes, according to the fire department.

Mayor John DeStefano arrived at the scene and praised the work of the firefighters.

DeStefano and Fire Chief Michael Grant gave a brief press conference around 9 a.m. (Click on the play arrow to watch.)

DeStefano called it ​“truly extraordinary” that firefighters kept the fire from spreading beyond the two adjacent houses at 301 and 309 Howard. The homes were severely damaged, but firefighters saved them from total destruction.

“We’re thankful no one is hurt,” he added.

“Firefighters did an outstanding job of containing the fire,” said Fire Chief Michael Grant. ​“The fire did not extend any further than it was when we arrived on the scene.”

In addition to the Santos family being sent to the hospital for smoke inhalation and minor injuries, one firefighter sustained a minor injury, Grant said.

Police Lt. Luiz Casanova said ​“there was a power outage in the area prior to the fire,” but police don’t know whether that was linked to the conflagration.

The American Red Cross as well as other community organizations will be working with the families to help them.

“We’re going to be helping the families to buy them groceries, get them into a hotel, and help them with other necessities,” said Geoffrey Harris (pictured), a disaster relief organizer for the local American Red Cross.

Marlena Santos, who was staying across the street with a friend and heard the explosion, shared two photos she took from the window.