Spilled french fry oil destroys home

Stafford, Conn. (WTNH) - Hot french fry oil that spilled onto a stove is to blame for an explosive fire that destroyed a home in Stafford late Sunday night. 

The fire was reported at a home near Village Hill Road and Westford Ave. around 11:30 p.m. Sunday. 

According to the fire marshal, two boys were in the home when the fire erupted. One was outside cooking steaks on the grill, while the other was inside packing for a trip. There was oil on the stove for cooking french fries. At some point the oil spilled over onto the stove and started the fire.

The boys got their dogs and ran to a neighbor to call 9-1-1. At the same time a state trooper was in the area and also reported the fire.

"Neither of us had phones that worked at the time, so he drove down to the station and I was banging on all the neighbors' doors," said Jesse Boys.

The wood-frame house is a couple hundred years old, and went up in flames quickly. Water had to be trucked in, but it was too late to save the home.

"There was a pond in the area, but it wasn't deep enough to draft. Mostly it was mutual aid companies coming in with tankers to attack the fire," said Tom Finch, Stafford Fire Marshal.

Adding to the danger, there were tanks of oxygen and ammunition in the house that exploded.

"All you hear is all the bullets lighting, the oxygen tanks. It wasn't like started hissing and making these noises, it was all of a sudden this giant mushroom cloud and even though we were 100 yards away we could still feel the heat," Jesse said.

The boy's parents were not at home. They were away on a trip.