In the early morning hours of Wednesday, April 3 a male resident was awoke by the smell of gas. When he flipped on the light a ball of fire ignited blowing out the north wall of the home at the intersection of Beach Street and South Cedar in Geneva according to Michael Vincent, a family member of the victims.
Along with the first victim, two other victims were in the home when the explosion rattled them out of their beds. Luckily all three victims survived with minor injuries minus the original male victim who flipped on the light igniting the fire storm. According to his mother he will need skin grafts to his hands, arms and possibly his face.
Geneva Fire Chief Doug Starkey does not believe the fire was caused by a meth lab. The family of the victims believe the fire started when a gas pipe valve failed and filled a laundry room full of gas leading to the explosion. Minus the family's speculations to the cause the Geneva Fire Department is investigating the cause.
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