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Dunedin House Explodes, Injuring Man

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By MARK DOUGLAS and NEIL JOHNSON

mdouglas@wfla.com njohnson@tampatrib.com

Published: February 12, 2009

DUNEDIN - A fiery explosion leveled a house Wednesday morning, sending one man to a hospital and causing minor damage to a neighboring home. Residents up to a mile away said they heard the explosion.

Duane Arlyn Cole, 46, was found in the backyard of his home, 1524 Michigan Blvd. Dunedin Fire Marshal Bill McEllicott did not know whether Cole was inside the house when the explosion occurred.

He was taken to Tampa General Hospital by helicopter, but sheriff's deputies said his injuries were not life-threatening.
Fire investigators said the cause of the explosion and fire was unknown. There were no gas lines connected to the house.

Cole's stepson, Brandon Harring, said he thought Cole was living there alone. Harring, 17, said he and his mother moved out of the house two or three months ago when his parents separated.

Harring said he was at Dunedin High School when someone sent him a text message, and he raced to the scene. He said Cole is a construction worker.

Harring also said the family's American Eskimo dog, Jingles, suffered respiratory problems from the explosion. The dog was being treated.

News Channel 8 photojournalist Katy Hennig and Tribune reporter Josh Poltilove contributed to this report.

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