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Home Explodes After Thief Nabs Copper Pipes
A thief who
stripped copper tubing from an exterior propane tank is
being blamed for a gas build-up resulting in an explosion
that severely burned an 80-year-old Onawa, Iowa, man.
Earl Thelander suffered third-degree burns on nearly half
of his body after his home exploded Tuesday. The
explosion was the result of the copper tubing that led to
the furnace being cut by "urban miners" who steal the
tubing and recycle it for cash.
The copper stolen from the Thelander home was valued at
about $15. Copper prices have skyrocketed in the past few
years due to increasing global demand, resulting in
rising theft rates.
"It's one thing to steal copper water pipes," said Onawa
Mayor Rebecca Tanner. "But to steal copper gas pipes is
beyond comprehension. This caused a tremendous explosion.
Everyone knows how dangerous gas can be."
The explosion blew out one wall and bowed another, but
Thelander walked out of the blast and drove himself to
the hospital. He was later transferred to a special burn
unit in Omaha, Neb., where he remains in critical
condition.
(The Des Moines
Register, August
30, 2007)
Posted
at 03:52PM Aug
30, 2007