An explosion along the Delmarva Central Railroad tracks in Bear on Saturday afternoon caused significant property damage and sparked several fires.
According to the Christiana Fire Company, firefighters were dispatched shortly after 12:30 p.m. to East Moyer Drive in the Oakwood community for a report of a propane tank fire. As emergency crews responded, the New Castle County 911 Center received multiple calls reporting an explosion and damage to nearby buildings.
Firefighters arrived to find a railroad track repair machine on fire about 300 feet east of Wrangle Hill Road. The fire had spread to surrounding brush areas and caused damage to a nearby commercial building at 3310 Wrangle Hill Road, which contains a church and several businesses. Christiana Fire Chief Kevin Cowperthwait said crews extinguished the burning machine, controlled the brush fires, and inspected the building for structural damage.
Chief Cowperthwait reported that the explosion involved a 500-pound propane tank mounted on the rail repair machine. The tank exploded while the crew was using the equipment to heat the tracks. Debris from the blast struck several nearby structures and sparked minor fires on rooftops.
The Delaware State Fire Marshal’s Office confirmed that the explosion was accidental. Chief Deputy Fire Marshal Robert Fox stated that investigators determined the propane tank malfunctioned during operation, causing it to explode and destroy the maintenance vehicle.
Several homes in the Oakwood community were damaged by the force of the blast. One home on Wrangle Hill Road was deemed uninhabitable. New Castle County building inspectors evaluated the damaged homes and businesses for safety.
Chief Cowperthwait said approximately 50 firefighters and 12 pieces of fire apparatus responded to the scene. Fire companies assisting included Christiana, Aetna Hose Hook and Ladder, Goodwill, Delaware City, Port Penn, and Wilmington Manor. Firefighters cleared the scene around 3:30 p.m.
The Delaware State Fire Marshal’s Office said damage estimates have not yet been determined. Additional agencies that assisted in the response included the New Castle County Office of Emergency Management, Delaware Emergency Management Agency, Delaware State Fire School, DelDOT, DNREC, and New Castle County Paramedics. Wrangle Hill Road was closed between Route 40 and Route 71 for about three and a half hours while the scene was secured. No injuries were reported.
