Deadly Explosion at Michigan Furniture Store

December 29, 2010  by in UnCategorized   

By Home Furnishings Business in Furniture Retailing on December 30, 2010

Two employees of William C. Franks Furniture in Wayne, Mich., were killed in a Wednesday explosion that destroyed the store, the Detroit Free Press reported.

Store owner Paul Franks was severely burned in the blast, believed to have been caused by a gas leak. He is in serious but stable condition at the University of Michigan's burn trauma center.

The explosion forced an evacuation of nearby businesses and residences. According to the report, Consumers Energy had received two calls in the area about the smell of gas hours before the explosion, and technicians already were nearby when the roof of the store collapsed.