Update: Police Identify Men Hospitalized After Explosion at Water Mill Home

Photo: Google Maps

Update:

Southampton Town Police have identified the two men who were injured in the explosion of a Water Mill home on Wednesday afternoon.

Rolando Perez, 40, of Riverhead is currently listed in stable condition and Abner Canel, 18, of Riverhead is listed in critical condition, according to police.

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Numerous neighborhood residents and persons traveling along Montauk Highway in Water Mill reported an explosive boom and reported seeing gray and black heavy smoke coming from a nearby residence at 2:13 p.m., according to police.

Southampton Town Police and Southampton Fire Department were on scene in minutes where they found a home located at 21 Old Country Road, fully engulfed in flames, police said.

In the course of the rescue efforts, two male occupants of the residence were found suffering from severe burns and wounds, according to police.

Southampton Volunteer Ambulance and Southampton Village Ambulance personnel assisted in transporting them to the helicopter landing zone where North Sea Fire Department was on scene, police said.

The Suffolk County Police Helicopter transported both victims to Stony Brook Hospital where both men are being treated for extensive burns, according to police.

The Southampton Fire Department was able to extinguish the flames, but the house was completely demolished from the explosion, according to police.

Southampton Detectives and Fire Marshals determined that the two occupants were in the basement working on renovating the home and preliminary investigation indicates that they accidentally cut a gas pipe which caused the explosion, police said.

National Grid workers also responded to the scene.

Original story:

Two construction workers were sent to Stony Brook University Hospital with facial injuries after an explosion at a Water Mill home on Old Country Road on Wednesday afternoon, according to multiple reports.

The explosion, which occurred at about 2:15 p.m. was thought to be caused by a gas leak and completely destroyed the home, according to 27east.

Several condos across the street were evacuated and the eastbound lane of Montauk Highway, near Cobb Road and County Road 39, was closed down, according to Southampton Town.

The two injured workers were renovating the small horse farm, which was recently sold earlier this year, shortly before the explosion, according to Newsday. They were airlifted to the hospital.

The cause of the explosion has not yet been determined, according to Newsday, but both National Grid and PSEG-Long Island arrived to turn off the gas and electricity, respectively.

The fire was under control and Montauk Highway was reopened by 4 p.m., according to 27east.

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