December 3, 2021
By: Dwayne Page
An explosion at a workshop on Kimberly Lane Thursday night seriously injured one man and left neighbors all shook up.
33-year-old Jerred Boyer of North Mountain Street told Smithville Police that while working in the shop “an acetylene torch (tank) blew up right next to him”.
“As I arrived on the scene, I noticed a male subject (Boyer) laying on the ground,” said Patrolman Cody Jenkins in his incident report. “EMS was on the scene to take care of Mr. Boyer”. He was later airlifted from near the scene and flown by Life Flight helicopter ambulance to Vanderbilt Hospital
Another man in the shop, 53-year-old Kenny Heinrich of Crest lawn Avenue received minor injuries. “Mr. Heinrich stated that when the torch blew it went past his head causing him hearing problems. He refused to go to the hospital,” said Officer Jenkins.
Neighbors reported hearing the blast and some said it shook their homes. The explosion caused some damage to the shop building including the ceiling.
The Smithville Fire Department was also on the scene.