Richfield house explosion: HCSO releases bodycam footage

RICHFIELD, Minn. (FOX 9) - The Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) released bodycam footage of two deputies who happened to be at the right place at the right time when a house exploded in Richfield. 

The HCSO said Deputies Welwolie and Granson were in Richfield on the morning of April 22, serving civil paperwork, when they heard a loud noise. They saw smoke and found a house nearby on the 6400 block of Oliver Avenue that had exploded. 

Bodycam footage released by the HCSO on Thursday shows the deputies arriving at the scene, getting out of a squad car and walking up to the house. The sheriff’s office said someone could be heard yelling for help, and the deputies made their way to the front of the home.

Deputy Welwolie pushed open the door, which was blocked by debris, and the occupant inside escaped. The Richfield Fire Department previously said one person was transported to the hospital for observation and was later released. 

"Thanks to our deputies’ attentiveness and quick action, the occupant was able to get to safety and receive medical care. We thank our deputies and all responding public safety professionals for their heroic work," the HCSO posted on Facebook.

Fire officials said the structure was deemed unstable, and crews demolished the home after the fire. Aerial video shows the home completely leveled as fire crews worked to put out hot spots. 

Fire officials have not yet said what caused the explosion.