Large explosion destroys Merced home, likely due to ‘illegal operation.’ One person hurt

One person was hurt in a large explosion and subsequent fire Monday morning that destroyed a home in north Merced.

Details are preliminary. Merced Fire Department Chief Derek Parker said firefighters responded to the scene at 8:19 a.m. in the area of Colma Avenue and Derby Drive and found heavy flames coming from the two-story home.

Merced Police Department officers also responded to the scene, according to Lt. Emily Foster.

Parker said the explosion was so large, the garage door was blown off the structure into the street, and the windows of numerous homes in the area were broken.

Parker said one person was burned with “very significant injuries” from the fire, and was flown to a regional burn unit for treatment.

Firefighters successfully contained the blaze to the home where it originated, although at least five additional structures were damaged.

Parker said the cause remains under investigation, but it appears a honey-oil lab or “an illegal drug-making opportunity” at the home caused the explosion. “(It’s) very large scale, there’s lots of marijuana that’s here on site and lots of chemicals to make the honey-oil,” Parker said.

Because of the number of toxic chemicals and level of contamination at the site, the investigation has been turned over to investigators at the state Department of Justice.

When asked about the level of damage, Parker said the home is “100% gone.”

Residents in the area posted on social media the explosion could be heard from far as several miles away. Foster said a police sergeant who was in the area also heard the explosion. “It seems like it was quite large,” Foster said.

No arrests had been made Monday morning, Foster said.

Twenty-one firefighters responded to the blaze.

This story was originally published September 20, 2021 at 9:39 AM with the headline "Large explosion destroys Merced home, likely due to ‘illegal operation.’ One person hurt."