Surprising Details Emerge About Brampton Explosion That Left Three Families Homeless
Posted January 17, 2008 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
It was a devastating fire that left three families with nothing but the clothes on their backs. And now new surprising details have emerged about what led up to it.
It happened last Thursday on Park St. in the McLaughlin Road and Queen St. area, when a man using some propane tanks accidentally sparked a massive blaze that eventually razed three townhouses.
A 45-year-old has since been charged but cops say the reason he had those tanks in the first place is suspect. They allege Glen Winston Hunter stole them from a number of commercial sites in Mississauga and tried to remove the brass fittings that were part of their make-up. It’s believed he may have been hoping to sell them for scrap metal.
But as he was trying to get the valuable material to come loose, police say it created a spark, leading to one of the tanks exploding. The second one detonated seconds later, and the flames quickly spread to the homes.
By the time crews reached the scene, it was too late and ten people – including three children – lost everything they owned. At first it was assumed Hunter lived at the residence but cops insist they don’t have any permanent address for him.
He’s facing a number of charges include break and enter, theft, and mischief endangering life. He was in a Brampton courtroom on Thursday and will remain in custody until his next hearing via a video link on February 12th.
