Propane tanks burst, three people hurt in East Meadow fire

Two propane tanks ruptured in an East Meadow house fire Thursday night that also damaged a neighboring home’s siding and left three people with minor injuries, police and fire officials said.

The blaze broke out around 8:30 p.m. on 7th Street, Nassau police said in a statement.

A homeowner with the hand burn injury was released from the hospital, said Michael F. Uttaro, Nassau County assistant fire chief. Two other people refused medical attention.

"Thankfully no one was in the vicinity of those propane tanks when they exploded," Uttaro said. "The fire department was just getting on scene, laying out their hoses and assessing and starting to make an attack on the fire when these tanks blew."

The cause of the fire, which was put out by East Meadow and North Bellmore firefighters, is being investigated.