Boonville, N.Y., 18 February (H.S.): A devastating explosion tore through the Abundant Life Fellowship Church in this rural Oneida County community on Tuesday morning, around 10:30 a.m., injuring five individuals—including the church's pastor and responding firefighters—and reducing the structure to a smoldering ruin amid thick plumes of black smoke.
Emergency responders from the Boonville Fire Department and surrounding agencies raced to the scene on State Route 12, approximately 50 miles northeast of Syracuse, after initial reports of a strong gas odor emanating from the premises.
Witnesses inside the non-denominational church had detected the suspicious smell prior to the blast, prompting first responders to investigate; tragically, four people were in the basement when the propane-heated furnace activated, igniting the catastrophic event, while a firefighter on the first floor ventilating the building was hurled against a wall by the force of the detonation.
The victims, all transported to Wynn Hospital in nearby Utica, include Pastor Brandon Pitts, 43; Boonville Fire Department Chief David Pard Jr., 60; firefighters Allan Austin, 67; Nicholas Amicucci, 43; and another unidentified firefighter aged 71—all now listed in critical but stable condition, with two facing severe burns and other life-threatening injuries.
New York State Police have ruled out any criminal activity at this early stage, attributing the incident preliminarily to the church's reliance on propane cylinders for heating, though a full investigation into the precise cause continues amid the wreckage described as destroyed with debris scattered across the site.
State Route 12 (also known as Potato Hill Road) remains closed to facilitate ongoing probes, with multiple agencies—including Remsen FD, Barneveld FD, and Oneida County Sheriff's Office—mobilized in a coordinated response that underscores the perils faced by rural volunteer firefighters.
As the community grapples with the shock of the near-fatal inferno, authorities urge motorists to avoid the area while emphasizing the critical importance of gas leak vigilance in aging structures.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
