ROGERS, Ark. — Emergency crews responded to Elzey's Road near Beaver Lake in Rogers Saturday (May 8) for a home explosion with a burn victim and collapsed structure.
Neighbors tell 5News Mary Chesnut is the woman whose home exploded. She was in the shower at the time of the explosion.
“We just heard this huge loud boom,“ said neighbor Valerie Papada. She says her family was eating dinner whenever the home exploded. Neighbor John Dryja describing the explosion saying, “It shook the whole house.”
Once neighbors heard the noise of the explosion, they jumped into action to help. One of Chesnut’s neighbors John Dryja was among the first to arrive and try to help her.
“She was in shock,” Dryja said describing his neighbor whenever he went to rescue her. “I don’t think she could hear because she was in there when that blast went off.”
Dryja along with neighbor Nate rescued her soon after the explosion. “I had to get her out of there before it starts on fire. I just wanted to get her out of there,” Dryja said.
Working together John and Nate managed to wrap a blanket around her and help her put on shoes.
Dryja, one of the men who rescued the one says he doesn’t believe he’s done anything heroic.
“I just did what anybody else would do,” said Dryja.
Soon after, other neighbors began to jump in to help.
“I was on the phone with dispatch the whole time,” said Papada.
“I went down and shut off the propane,” said neighbor Harold Shriver.
Neighbors say they’re not surprised how quickly everyone jumped in to help.
“They’re amazing. I would put my life on them as well. As soon as we heard it, we all came running,” said Papada.
The Rogers Fire Department is still investigating what caused the home to explode and thanked the neighbors for their quick action to rescue the woman.
Chesnut was airlifted to a hospital to treat her severe wounds.
Home Explosion Elzey's Road Rogers
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