by Jackie Bartz
Saturday, February 13, 2010
ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- An explosion destroyed a South Anchorage family's home late Friday evening. Firefighters believe it was a gas leak that leveled the home and sparked a fire that burned into Saturday afternoon.
Firefighters say the Jenkins family, who lived in the home, is lucky to be alive. Just seconds after their car pulled out of the driveway, the house exploded.
The blast happened around 10:10 p.m. on 84th Avenue near Elmore Road. Firefighters spent Saturday morning carefully putting out hot spots, but say the home is too unstable to send in fire inspectors.
The homeowners, Ralph and Tammie Jenkins, blame the explosion on gas escaping from a leak in the furnace. Tammie Jenkins and the couple's seven children were inside the home just before the explosion.
