Nanny, 15-Month-Old Boy Survive Bizarre Calabasas Explosion

A 15-month old boy and his nanny are lucky to be unscathed today after escaping a Calabasas home that was set ablaze when a neighbor's Prius rolled down a hill and struck a gas meter, causing an explosion.

The force of the blast, which was reported at 3:30 p.m. Friday at a two- story house in the 23100 block of Park Contessa, sent the door of the home's attached garage flying across the street, officials said.

The fire started in the garage and was extinguished in 24 minutes, according to Katherine Main of the Los Angeles Fire Department, which assisted the county fire department in fighting the blaze.

The nanny, who was inside the home minding the child, told NBC4 she grabbed the boy and bolted out the front door when she heard the explosion.

A neighbor who lives up the street from the damaged house forgot to put the Prius in park and it rolled down the hill, striking a gas meter and sparking the blast and fire, said Sgt. Fray Lupian of the sheriff's Malibu-Los Hills Station.

The owner of the Prius, which was gutted by the blast and fire, was not cited, he said.

--City News Service