WEST DEER, Pa. — A small golf course became the site of a fireball that was visible from 10 miles away, a fire official said.
A garage exploded at Rose Ridge Golf Course on Gibsonia Road in West Deer early Sunday. It shook houses up to 2 miles away, said West Deer fire chief Josh Wiegand. No one was hurt in the unoccupied garage or the burned-out trailer next to it, Wiegand said.
“The initial explosion pretty much devastated the entire building,” he added.
Propane tanks and fuel containers were stored there, but he did not know the cause of the explosion or the value of the building.
Owner Leonard Constantini III was still trying to figure out what happened, said Leonard Constantini Jr., the former owner and father of the current owner. The younger Constantini could not be reached.
Golfers played the course and the business operated as usual during the sunny afternoon, course staff said. Charred debris and yellow caution tape surrounded charred remains of the garage’s frame atop a small plateau near the course’s south end. About 20 cars and trucks were in an adjacent parking lot.
Golfer Brian Celo said he noticed the damage when he started his round at 9:30 a.m., but he saw no smoke or obvious sign the damage was that recent. The course is popular among local golfers for its leagues and convenience — there are no reserved tee times, he said.
“It’s just a nice local course,” he added.
West Deer Volunteer Department received the call at 12:12 a.m. Sunday, Wiegand said. Three other suburban departments helped, and crews had the fire under control by 12:50 a.m., he added.
The garage and trailer had been unoccupied for several hours before the fire, he added. The four-bay garage stored law mowers and supplies, Wiegand said. Owner Constantini has spent most of his life involved with the course and personally spent a lot of time in the garage area coordinating maintenance for it, his father said outside the clubhouse.
He declined further comment, saying he knew little about what happened.
This article was written by Channel 11's news exchange partners at TribLIVE.