A father-of-three has been killed in a freak backyard explosion that was heard more than six kilometres away.
The 55-year-old Brisbane man, known only as Ross, was working in his family’s back yard on machinery.
He was trying to extract hydrogen from water, using gas-related equipment for welding when it exploded and killed him, Yahoo7 reported.
Neighbour Ric Hartman heard the explosion and ran over to find Ross, 55, lying on his back
The deadly blast was heard in neighbouring suburbs over 6 kilometres away.
Neighbour Ric Hartman heard the blast and ran over to the house where he found Ross ‘lying face down in his back yard.’
He said the blast was so forceful that it knocked everything over.
‘It blew things off the shelves and benches and tables’.
Ross was at home alone when the accident happened but his wife and three adult children returned shortly after the explosion.
Senior Sergeant Jeff Lansdown said that Ross had used similar equipment in the past and that the explosion was unexpected.
Police say he was trying to extract hydrogen from water using gas equipment for wielding, a process he had done several times
Hi wife and three adult children returned home shortly after the explosion but authorities were there until the evening
‘The incident is quite catastrophic unfortunately, very traumatising for the family and also for all of the emergency services personnel attending.’
Hartman said he spoke to the family everyday and that ‘great people, beautiful people’.
Ross’s neighbours and the emergency crews that attended the explosion have been offered counselling.
The death is being treated as non-suspicious and a report will be prepared for the coroner.