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Oxygen tank explodes, Cape Coral home catches fire

A man was taken to the hospital as a precaution
Oxygen tank explodes, Cape Coral house catches fire
Cape Coral Fire Fighters respond to fire
Cape Coral Fire Fighters respond to SW 23rd St
Posted at 9:20 AM, Mar 27, 2024
and last updated 2024-03-27 14:51:10-04

CAPE CORAL, Fla — The Cape Coral Fire Department says a man's oxygen tank exploded Wednesday morning and started a fire that gave him minor burns.

It happened inside a home in the 900 block of SW 23rd St. Fire fighters put the fire out.

The fire department says the man who lived at the house was taken to the hospital as a precaution.

"We saw lots of fire and smoke at the back of the house. But we put it out quickly," the Batallion Chief on scene told Fox 4.

The fire remained under investigation Wednesday morning.

Joyce Obarske described to Fox 4 how the scene unfolded.'

"I was just outside looking at my flowers, having fun, when my husband came rushing through—well, not exactly running because he's an amputee—through the garage and said, 'Joyce, there's a fire!'" she recalled.

Obarske called police after she tried to put the fire out.

"I ran in the house trying to get his couch that was on fire out, throwing water on it, but it wasn't doing any good," said Obarske.

Obarske says her husband sustained only minor burns and will be ok. "It could have been worse," she added.