Deadly Annapolis Home Explosion Ruled Accidental, Linked to Propane Gas Buildup, Investigators Say
Investigators said a cut propane line and a metal grinder sparked the blast, which killed 76-year-old Linda Synowczynski and left one man hospitalized.
- On Thursday, August 20, 2026, a residential explosion on Green Holly Drive in Cape St. Claire, Maryland, killed 76-year-old Linda Synowczynski, Anne Arundel County Fire Department officials reported.
- Investigators determined the blast was accidental after homeowner Stan Synowczynski inadvertently cut a propane line while working on the HVAC system, then ignited the accumulated gas using a metal grinder.
- Navy corpsman Joseph Toms and neighbors pulled victims from the debris before responders arrived. Toms yelled, "We have a light pulse," while lifting the collapsed roof to rescue the trapped homeowner.
- Stan remains hospitalized in "serious condition" at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, fire officials confirmed. A propane company that visited the residence earlier did not contribute to the explosion.
- The Anne Arundel County Fire Department issued a safety advisory urging residents not to attempt gas repairs themselves. Portions of Green Holly Drive remain closed while the investigation continues.
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Owner of Md. home that exploded cut propane line accidentally, investigators say
The owner of the Cape St. Claire, Maryland, home where an explosion occurred last week accidentally cut a propane line while working on the HVAC system, investigators announced Monday. The explosion Wednesday afternoon left one woman dead and the homeowner, a man, in what investigators Monday called “serious condition” in the hospital. Cutting the line caused propane gas to leak and accumulate inside the home without the homeowner realizing it. …
Homeowner inadvertently caused Cape St. Claire explosion that killed wife, officials say
An explosion in the Cape St. Claire neighborhood last Wednesday that killed one person and left another in critical condition was sparked when the homeowner damaged a propane line while working on the home, the Anne Arundel County Fire Department said Monday.
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