On Friday, two brothers who were celebrating a winning lottery ticket worth $75,000 accidentally blew up their home, according to Sgt. Bruce Watts from the Wichita Police Department. The Wichita Eagle reports that the brothers bought marijuana and meth to celebrate.
One of the brothers, a 27-year-old, was sent to the hospital because of injuries suffered by the explosion. He was in serious, yet stable condition from second-degree burns on his hands, chest, and arms. Watts said that the other brother was taken to jail.
Watts said that around 7 p.m. on Friday night, the men were in a house on the 100 block of North Nevada Court, close to Douglas and West Street. Butane was leaked into the air when one of the brothers went to the kitchen to refuel the butane torches used to light the bongs they were smoking. The butane was leaked into the air when he emptied large cans of butane lighter fluid.
“The butane vapor reached the pilot light in the furnace, and as you might expect, ka-boom,” Watts said.
When the explosion occurred, the victim had a lottery t-shirt on. His girlfriend put him and some children in a vehicle and drove him to the Via Christ Hospital on St. Francis emergency room. She dropped the victim off and left the hospital.
Officers arrived at the home with a warrant, which is when the other brother ran out of the house, telling them that he had methamphetamine and marijuana. That brother was taken into custody.