Updated at 1:38 p.m.
ANNAPOLIS, MD — Authorities announced Monday that the house explosion in Annapolis was caused by a severed propane line and a metal grinder.
The Anne Arundel County Fire Department said in its latest update that the Wednesday explosion "originated from an accumulation of propane gas inside the residence."
Investigators determined that the homeowner was working on the home's HVAC system when a propane line was inadvertently cut. Relatives informed investigators that the homeowner may have been unable to detect the leak due to a "diminished sense of smell."
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"The damaged line allowed propane gas to leak and accumulate inside the residence without the homeowner realizing it," reads a statement from the department.
"While continuing to work in the area, the homeowner subsequently used a metal grinder, which investigators identified as the ignition source. The resulting ignition of the accumulated propane gas caused the explosion."
The latest comes after investigators ruled the explosion accidental and confirmed that a propane vendor's service visit an hour prior did not contribute to the incident.
The explosion occurred on the 1100 block of Green Holly Drive in the Cape St. Claire area of Annapolis. Emergency calls about the explosion were made to authorities shortly after 12 p.m. on Aug. 19.
The impact of the explosion forced the home's second floor to collapse onto the first level, proving deadly for 76-year-old Linda Synowczynski.
Synowczynski's 76-year-old husband, Stan, remains in critical condition at the Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center.
Two of the first people to respond to the scene were brothers Joseph and Benjamin Toms, who ran toward the scene after hearing the blast.
The pair spoke to reporters last week, stating they helped pull Linda from under debris.
"I yelled, ' We have a light pulse.' We saw her feet. We both grabbed part of the roof. We lifted it up. We started to try to get her out. And then finally two other neighbors rushed in," Joseph said. "They helped us lift it up, get her out and that's when the first responders came in," Joseph said.
Authorities confirmed that Linda went into cardiac arrest and was pronounced dead at the scene. Both brothers later turned their attention to helping out Stan, who was transported via helicopter to Bayview.
The fire department is urging residents to have carbon monoxide alarms installed in their homes, and to have regular inspections on fuel-burning appliances.
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