A home explosion outside Baltimore was planned by a man trying to destroy his estranged wife’s house, authorities said Tuesday.
Michael Greensfelder, 52, was arrested and charged with arson and animal cruelty because a dog died in the blast, Baltimore County police said.
The April 20 explosion leveled a home in Essex, approximately 8 miles east of downtown Baltimore. It sparked a two-alarm fire that required about 100 firefighters to contain, authorities said at the time. Now, cops believe they know why.
“Greensfelder intentionally created a fuel/gas explosion that led to a fire and destruction of the home he shared with his estranged wife and children,” Baltimore County police said Tuesday in a press release.
The woman and her children were not home at the time. However, police and fire investigators believe a family dog died.
VIDEO: This is security camera video from a neighbor’s home the moment 28 Crafton Rd. exploded. @wjz pic.twitter.com/a6COijagdU
— Tara Lynch (@thetaralynch) April 21, 2024
A man suffered minor burn injuries in the fire and was transported to a local hospital, cops said at the time. Authorities now believe that man was Greensfelder, the Baltimore Sun reported.
Police did not say if Greensfelder knew the home would be largely empty when he blew it up. He was formally charged with first- and second-degree arson, first-degree malicious burning, first-degree destruction of property and animal cruelty. However, he was not charged with attempted murder.
Greensfelder was taken to Baltimore County jail and held without bond, according to police.
Neighbors were shocked when the home exploded. Firefighters spent hours battling the blaze before they could even enter the home, due to the intensity of the heat and the threat to neighboring houses.
“It went from a couple of flames to this massive thing of flames. I mean so fast. It’s like nothing I’ve ever seen,” Patricia Rodolff told local CBS affiliate WJZ in April.
