Where was site of deadly Sacramento house explosion?
A deadly fire and explosions destroyed a South Oak Park home, killed its owner and ignited nearby buildings early Thursday. Investigators are determining the cause of the blast but neighbors say the fatal blast may have been a final act of defiance by the home’s former owner who was under threat of eviction.
Where is South Oak Park?
The home destroyed in the Thursday blast is in the 3900 block of 39th Street in South Oak Park, a diverse neighborhood 4 miles south of downtown Sacramento via Highway 99. The compact neighborhood is 1 mile north to south with a mix of residential homes and small businesses.
Roughly 6,800 people reside in the neighborhood bordered by 12th Avenue to the north, Martin Luther King Jr., Boulevard to the east, Highway 99 to the west and to the south by Fruitridge Road.
What happened?
Fire and multiple explosions leveled the home on 39th Street about 6:15 a.m. Thursday, said Sacramento Fire Department Capt. Justin Sylvia. The fire ignited several nearby buildings and the force of the blast caused damage to homes, likened by one neighbor as “like an earthquake.” The explosion occurred just a block north of Christian Brothers High School and was felt as far away as Land Park and East Sacramento.
Firefighters worked to save buildings near the blast and ultimately discovered the home’s owner. Official identification is pending, but friends identified the man as 60-year-old Karl Lysinger. Lysinger is believed to have triggered the blast that ended his life.
Why the explosion?
The cause and motive are under investigation by Sacramento and federal investigators, but friend Ed Williams said a longstanding dispute over the property may have led to Lysinger’s fatal decision.
According to city code enforcement and county assessment records, the property had been the subject of repeated violations dating back to at least 2017.
The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office confirmed an eviction was scheduled for the property but had not been carried out prior to the explosion. An Aug. 12 city staff report said the owner of the property was Alpine Holdings Inc., of Rocklin. It’s unclear when the property was transferred.
What now?
Sacramento Fire Department, Sacramento Police Department and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms are investigating the incident. City officials were also at the explosion scene Thursday inspecting damage to nearby homes and buildings.
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