Sunshine Coast RCMP say the man living in an apartment in the 5600 block of Inlet Avenue was lucky to walk away Monday morning after a butane stove exploded.
According to RCMP, he was using the stove around 11:20 a.m. when it caught fire. Just after he left the room to find something to try to smother the flames, the butane tank exploded.
The blast smashed the main window of the apartment and pushed the exterior wall out by nearly an inch, but the man escaped injury. There was also water damage to the building because the explosion triggered the sprinkler system.
A structural engineer was brought in to complete an assessment of the building, which was evacuated.
The Sechelt Fire Department is continuing their investigation, but chief Trevor Pike told Coast Reporter the structural engineer gave the OK for residents to return late Monday.
Pike said the butane stove that exploded was designed for camping, and the fire department is reminding people that camp stoves, barbecues and similar gas appliances made for outdoor use should never be used indoors. As well as the risk of fire or explosion, using them indoors can lead to the buildup of dangerous levels of carbon monoxide.
