An 18-month old toddler was killed and 14 others were injured that were inside a home that exploded on Long Island Tuesday.
The explosion leveled the house and most importantly killed an 18-month-old boy, Rahquan Laron Palmer.
According to family friend Aubrey Jones, Kristina Morgan and her son were inseparable.
“Wherever you see her, you see the baby. The baby is always there,” Jones said.
The explosion rocked the neighborhood shortly before noon Tuesday.
It ultimately injured 14 people; five people in the house and 9 police officers and firefighters who responded to the scene.
“This is going to be a lengthy scene, we’ll be working through the night,” said Det. Lt. Jack Fitzpatrick, Suffolk County Police Department.
Investigators are still searching for a cause.
They say the house that stood there did not use natural gas, but there were two 200 pound propane tanks outside the house.
It’s still not clear why they were there or if they were being used.
“I think it’s a nightmare, never experienced anything like this before,” said Anthony Acevedo, a witness.
Whatever caused this sparked an explosion that not only blew clothing into trees, but lifted other homes on the street off their foundations.
Pat Arnoth lived next door.
“I was in the back yard, can’t even comprehend,” Arnoth said.
She suffered minor injuries in the blast.
Tuesday night she and others have been forced from their homes.
It’s just not safe to sleep there, so they had to grab what they could and go.
The Red Cross says they are helping nearly two dozen people find shelter.
While Aubrey Jones looks for his friend, the mother of the 18-month-old who died, his heart breaks for her now.
She lost so much more than just the roof over her head.
“To lose a baby like this in an explosion, wow, I just hope she can pull herself up,” Jones said.
