Lake of the Ozarks mansion fire caused by propane leak
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
A mansion at the Lake of the Ozarks that was destroyed by a fire in December was likely caused by a propane leak, according to a Missouri State Fire Marshal report.
The fire on Dec. 10 on Trillium Lane in Lake Ozark was ruled accidental in the report and was determined to be a $5 million loss.
The report says the outdoor kitchen of the home was identified as the “area of fire origin” and several propane lines were located. The homeowners had a 500-gallon buried propane tank that supplied heat to several areas of the home, the report says.
“The Missouri Propane Safety Commission was unable to perform a leak test due to the numerous gas lines and extensive damage throughout the house; therefore, the exact location from which the gas flow originated within the outdoor kitchen remains unknown,” the report says.
The report says a homeowner was using a smoker at the outdoor kitchen that morning and took food off around 11:30 a.m. The fire started with a loud explosion at 1:30 p.m., the report says.
The fire marshal wrote that windy conditions that day likely prevented the homeowners from being able to smell or detect the gas.
“The most probable cause of the fire is the ignition of escaped liquid propane gas from the residential gas supply system by heat or flame from the wood pellet smoker, which was positioned within the outdoor kitchen. This determination is based on witness statements, proximity of a competent ignition source, and the known behavior of LP gas in forming flammable mixtures when leaked. The cause classification is Accidental,” the report says.
