Explosion in Erda rocks neighborhood and destroys family well house

ERDA, Utah – A family in Erda still has a lot of clean-up left to do after an explosion in their well house rocked their neighborhood. The explosion was so loud, people reportedly heard it from several miles away.

Norma Worwood said she’s happy she was nowhere near the well house when it blew up. She was in her home, in bed, when she heard a loud boom.

She said, “Our place didn’t shake, but we heard the noise and thought maybe a vehicle hit something.”

Worwood reported she received calls from people living miles away saying they heard a loud explosion coming from Erda. Some people guessed it was thunder, while others guessed it was a sonic boom from a plane. 

Worwood didn’t know what had happened until she saw her well house.

“The door to the well house was all crinkled. You couldn’t get in,” she said.

Fire investigators reported a slow propane leak filled the well, and when it turned on, that spark set off the gas into an explosion. 

“It wasn’t an earthquake. People said on Tooele 411 ‘Was it an earthquake?’ No, it wasn’t an earthquake and it wasn’t a sonic boom. It was just… be careful of propane,” Worwood said. 

The explosion sent pieces of steel into a nearby garage and into the back of the home. Worwood said it will cost thousands of dollars to repair the concrete and they’re not certain if the water in that well has been ruined. However, she said there are many reasons for her to count her blessings.

“But, we’re ok. Everything is replaceable,” Worwood said. “We’re fortunate to be alive, fortunate that we have a good community. People were showing up, people wanted to bring us dinner. Boys came in and cleaned all the well house out.”