The nose gods must have been looking out for someone after a man’s life was saved by his own nose. A strange smell prompted the man to exit his vehicle that exploded shortly after, the Fort-Worth Star-Telegram reports.
Around 11:15 pm, January 28, an unidentified man just finished his shift at a local Sonic. Getting into his car to leave, he noticed a strange, gas-like smell. He told authorities that that’s when he rolled down the windows to let some of the smell out. From the Houston Chronicle:
He rolled his windows to try and let it air out, decided to get out of the car, opened up the car door and stepped out.
That’s when the car exploded. The explosion was so strong it sent debris from the car flying and could be heard for miles around. Thankfully, the man survived. From ABC 13:
The fact that this young man is still alive is a miracle. Parts of this vehicle were blown hundreds of feet away,” said HPD Assistant Chief Wyatt Martin, “This was a very significant explosion, and the young man is very lucky to be alive.
The Houston Police Department’s bomb squad and ATF were called in to investigate. Authorities even brought in the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco “out of an abundance of caution.” The discovered culprit: a tank of oxy-acetylene that was leaking. The explosion was just a freak accident. The man’s relative is a welder and left his welding equipment in the trunk of the car, which led to the explosion. The man was taken to a local hospital and treated for minor injuries.