A malfunction with a heater played a role in an explosion that injured three men at the site of a house being built in East Bethel, a contractor said Tuesday.
Contractor: Heater malfunction behind blast that injured 3 men at house being built in East Bethel
The Sheriff's Office said all 3 remained hospitalized in stable condition.
February 7, 2023 at 4:37PM
Also Tuesday, the Anoka County Sheriff's Office released the names of the men who were hurt while on the property in the 2800 block of Viking Boulevard NE. near Greenbrook Drive NE. when the blast erupted shortly before 8:30 a.m. Monday, the Sheriff's Office said.
Keith Hyovalti, 35, of Oak Grove, William Swanson, 47, of Zimmerman and James Wells, 47, of Coon Rapids were taken by emergency medical responders to HCMC, the Sheriff's Office said.
Hyovalti and Wells are electricians who work for 3-Way Electric in Anoka, said Joe Green, the company's owner. Green said Wells has been working for him for more than 23 years and Hyovalti for five or six years. Green said Swanson is a homebuilder.
As of midday Tuesday, Wells was in serious condition, and Hyovalti and Swanson were in satisfactory condition, an HCMC spokesperson said.
While officials have yet to offer a preliminary cause for the explosion, Green said the source of the blast was "a malfunction with the heater in the basement to thaw out the floors."
The pilot was the only person inside the plane, and was not injured in the emergency landing, according to the State Patrol.
