SEFFNER, Fla. — Two people were seriously injured after a house explosion in Seffner Thursday afternoon.
According to the Hillsborough County Fire Rescue, the incident happened at a single-family home on Kings Charles Circle in Seffner.
HCFR crews say the homeowner was actively reloading small arms ammunition inside the house when the explosion happened.
He reported there were six pounds or more of smokeless powder in the immediate area. The residence was turned over to the homeowners and is considered a total loss.
A man who lives nearby says the blast shook his home, and he said the feeling reminded him of the 1999 explosion at Tampa Electric Company's Gannon Station Unit 6.
"I mean a boom, an explosion, yes," said Michael Bristow.
After the dust from the blast settled, Bristow and others say they were shocked by what they saw.
"When I came around the corner my mouth dropped and I saw that," said Bristow. "It's a quiet neighborhood. You never hear anything like this," said Heather Ortutay.
According to HCFR, two adults were inside the home at the time of the explosion. The pair was taken to a local trauma facility with "serious injuries."
Officials say the male patient remains in critical but stable condition, and the female patient has been treated and released by the hospital. No other injuries were reported.
According to Hillsborough County Fire Rescue's Lead Fire Investigator, Dave Tucker, "We quickly mobilized the most highly trained explosives experts in the region to ensure there was no greater risk to the community."
Several neighbors tell ABC Action News they helped pull those people out of the home.
"Probably what I remember is the lady yelling and she's still underneath the debris," said Bristow, "The gentleman, however, looked like he sustained more injuries because he was covered in blood and he was kind of dazed a little bit."
It's an incident neighbors say has brought them closer together.
"They're hurt, but hey the house can be replaced, but lives can't. So thank God and I pray that they'll be OK," said Bristow, "When I saw all the neighbors, some that I've met for the first time today, that they just saw some people in need. That does my heart really good to know 'Hey, I got neighbors that if something happened to me, I got neighbors who would come and help and assist in any way that they can.'"
