Motorcycle gas leak caused North Ridgeville home to explode

NORTH RIDGEVILLE, Ohio - Firefighters said gasoline leaking from a motocycle appears to be what caused an explosion at a home in North Ridgeville late Thursday night.

The fire started just before 11 p.m. in the 5900 block of Eastview St.

Assistant Fire Chief John Reese of the North Ridgeville Fire Department said several 911 calls came in reporting the blast.

Nobody was hurt by the fire, but the house was significantly damged. When fire crews got to the home, the front of the house was consumed by flames.

The front of the home was destroyed, along with a motorcycle and car parked in the driveway. Firefighters were able to prevent the house from completely collapsing, but they said it is still a total loss.

Before the official cause was determined, homeowner Gary Klemens told NewsChannel5 that fire officials informed him that the blast was likely triggered by a leaking fuel line in his motorcycle located in the garage. Klemens said he started his motorcycle earlier in the day for the first time all year, and it started fine. But starting the vehicle likely broke a fuel line, which filled the garage floor with fuel, he said.

The homeowner's son, Adam, 24, smelled the gas and opened the garage door. As the door opened, the garage was quickly consumed by flames, and fire officials told Klemens that opening the door changed the air pressure in the garage to start the blast.

Fire officials are not sure of the exact ignition source, but speculated it was likely something plugged into an electrical outlet in the garage.

Klemens said he started his motorcycle earlier in the day because he had planned to participate in a motorcyle toy run this weekend. Along with a group of fellow bikers, Klemens planned to ride to Fairview Hospital to deliver toys to sick children.

Neighbors heard the explosion and and rushed from their homes to see fire shooting from the house. Video of the explosion was submitted by neighbor Mel Cruzado (click on the viewer video option at the top of the story to see this video).