East Coast Divers fire in Brookline leaves worker, firefighter hurt – NBC Boston

A worker was burned and a firefighter hurt during a fire and series of explosions at a dive shop in Brookline, Massachusetts, on Thursday.

“It felt like an earthquake,” a witness told NBC10 Boston.

Firefighters responded to East Coast Divers on Route 9 on Thursday morning for what was reported as an explosion in the back of the dive shop. Fire officials said when they arrived they had to proceed carefully because of air cylinders that are kept in the shop for diving.

“There are multiple cylinders of compressed air and different kinds of gases so that was very challenging for our firefighters as they made entry,” Chief John Sullivan told NBC10 Boston.

Several of those cylinders exploded during the response, but firefighters were able to knock down the fire. The injured shop worker suffered burns, but the injuries are not considered life-threatening. One firefighter suffered a cut to the hand.

The chief said the tanks did not contain any hazardous materials.

Mike Williams, the shop’s purchasing manager, isn’t sure how the explosion happened.

“I have no clue. But it’s compressed gas and compressed gas has a lot of energy stored in the cylinder so when that is released all sorts of bad things can happen,” he said.

The damage extended to two apartments over the shop, leaving at least five people displaced for the time being.

The exact cause of the fire remains under investigation. The State Fire Marshal’s Office was called in to assist.