A propane leak is suspected of causing a deadly explosion in Grayson County.
It happened at a home in the 4300 block of Sistrunk Street in Sherman. The blast and fire that followed left the home unrecognizable. Neighbors called 911 around 8:15 Sunday night. When firefighters arrived, they said they found the homeowner dead inside and a woman trapped under a wall.
The debris field spanned 300 feet, investigators said.
“The wall kind of protected her from the fire,” said Grayson County Fire Marshal John Weda.
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Firefighters say they spent an hour rescuing the woman identified by relatives as Sharon Bateman.
Bateman was flown to Medical City Plano where she remains in critical condition Monday evening. Relatives identified James Bateman as the man firefighters found dead inside the home.
David Vogel is a longtime friend and insurance agent.
“Just a good man, great character. always would come in and make his payments every month and always had stories to tell, and loved his family,” said Vogel.
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Investigators suspect propane played a role in the explosion.
They say the Batemans reported the smell of propane an hour before the explosion to other family members.
“They use propane. We had a 250-gallon propane tank here on site plus they got another 100-gallon tank in the back for another building,” said Weda.
The investigation is ongoing.
