Explosion Prior To Appleton Fire

A propane tank explosion caused a building that was under construction to catch fire on Appleton’s northeast side Monday. Ben Ganther is the president of Ganther Construction and Architecture. His company was working on a four-wing expansion to the Colony Oaks Care Center on Glenhurst Lanenear Ballard Road. He says they first noticed a problem at the work site late in the morning. He says the project superintendent smelled gas coming from a 1,000 pound propane tank and called a gas company to check it out. About 12:15 the tank exploded. Everyone was accounted for and no one was injured. Two of the wings burned down and another was damaged. At least two vehicles were also destroyed in the fire. Ganther says investigators are trying to pinpoint what sparked the explosion.


Appleton Fire Department photo.