Site of Plano Home Explosion Finally Cleared, Plano Officials Say The Blast May Have Been Intentional

Splintered wood, insulation, and charred kitchen cabinetry sat for weeks after a Plano home gas explosion until the owner finally cleared the rubble under threat of property lien. Plano city officials were prepared to condemn the possibly uninsured property after repeated requests to clean up the hazardous site. The violent gas explosion may have been intentional set by its tenant, who remains in critical condition.

At its Aug. 17 meeting, the Plano Building Standards Commission was set to consider a recommendation to condemn the substandard structure and cite its owner, Guojiang Zhang, for failure to clean up the blast remains after repeated notifications. Days before the Building Standards Commissioners were set to take action, the owner cleared the piled rubble. Now, the sidewalk and foundation are all that remain on site.

The July 19 blast in the 4400 block of Cleveland Drive may have been an intentional act by the home’s tenant, Joseph Kupfer, 57, media outlets have reported. Though Plano Police initially determined the house was not a crime scene, the Plano Fire Marshal and his investigators later found the gas stove’s burners turned on and a possible suicide note, sources told KRLD radio’s LP Philips.

A property standards report cited “unsanitary conditions that imminently affect the health, safety, and welfare of the surrounding neighborhood” and stated, “it is believed the property was not insured at the time of the explosion.” The Plano property was placed on the Substandard Deficiency List for failure to remove and properly dispose of all debris located throughout the property.

The explosion scattered debris and pieces of wood throughout the West Plano neighborhood. Windows in homes across the street were shattered and homes on either side of the brick home sustained damage. Cleanup crews worked into the night to clean up the debris.

Kupfer and five others were injured in the explosion, including three children and their parents who lived next door. Kupfer remains hospitalized in critical condition with 70 percent of his body covered in second-degree burns, according to Plano Fire-Rescue.

According to the Plano Fire-Rescue incident report, one person, possibly Kupfer, was trapped in the rubble.

“They immediately reported that they had one person trapped in the house that they could see and would be initiating a rescue,” the official report states. “One patient was still in the home of origin. All others were next door in the west exposure house.”

It’s unclear whether the tenant Kupfer or the owner Zhang would be subject to any criminal charges. In civil matters though, a group of neighboring homeowners has hired attorney Ted Lyon, the same attorney who sued Atmos Energy after an explosion at a Dallas home in 2018 killed 12-year-old Michellita Rogers.

Plano residents felt the impact of the explosion at the 4400 block of Cleveland at least a mile away and heard the explosion at least two miles away, multiple residents said.

A few streets over on Denver Drive, resident Jeffrey Blackwell said his home had broken windows, and “the whole roof/ceiling seems to have shifted,” he said on NextDoor.

A Ring camera down the street from the home revealed a rolling white cloud of dust after the blast. A Nest camera behind the home was blown off its mount. 

One resident a few streets away reported on Twitter that their windows were shattered and doors blew open. Another resident on Twitter posted a home surveillance video that showed their screen door handle shaking at the time of the explosion. 

The one-story, 1,691-square-foot home was built in 1981 and last listed on MLS in 2009 as a lease. The home has a gas-starter fireplace, gas cooktop, gas heating, and electric central air. 

From the listing: 

“Fantastic single story house located in West Plano area. Great location close to Preston, shopping center, Highway 190 & toll way. Updated include Kitchen, Granite countertops, under mount sink, double ovens, Roll-out trays in the cabinet, bathrooms, mirror, decorative lighting, back splash, double oven. Large living room with bricks fireplace. Designed painting, newly installed Energy efficient Windows. Wood flooring throughout, Vaulted beamed ceiling. Fruits trees, a Pergola in back yard. Build in refrigerator, Microwave with the property.”