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House explosion in New Hampshire leaves 1 dead and 1 injured

Derry Fire Chief Shawn Haggart said his department received reports of an explosion and responded to find a house fully engulfed in flames.

DERRY, N.H. — A house explosion in New Hampshire on Thursday amid a spring storm left one woman dead and a second person injured, authorities said.

Derry Fire Chief Shawn Haggart said his department received reports of an explosion and responded to find a house fully engulfed in flames. One person in the house was killed as a result of the fire. Another person, identified as a female juvenile, was taken to a hospital for her injuries.

The deceased victim was later identified as 76-year-old Laura Percival of Derry, according to a Friday press release from the State of New Hampshire Department of Safety. 

Percival's cause of death was due to "complications of multiple blast injuries" and was accidental, authorities said.

The juvenile was transported to a hospital in Boston and is still being treated for her injuries, the release stated.

Haggart said the cause of the fire remains under investigation but that the New Hampshire State Fire Marshal’s Office concluded that a tree fell on the house near propane tanks that were outside the home.

Haggart said he believes the fire was storm-related, adding that his department was getting a lot of calls for tree branches and wires down due to high winds.

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