'Backdraft Explosion' Levels Two-Story Building - Paris, Texas

Raw footage from LiveLeak: What officials are initially calling a "backdraft explosion" levels (At the 50 second mark left in the video) a two story building. (see note below).

Firefighters were toned out at 5 AM for a fully involved structure fire just off the square in Paris, Texas. The fire extended to the southern exposure on Bohnam street, a two story brick building with businesses downstairs and loft apartments upstairs. Watch the windows break and the glass fall inside the building. The telephone pole took a beating, too. One firefighter was injured from flying debris.

More on Statter911.com and the Paris News

Note: 'Backdraft Explosion' is in quotes as that is what those on the scene are referring to it as for now. However, it would appear there could be other causes for this as many of those commenting have indicated, so...take the headline for what it is for now.

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Location: Paris, TX (Show Map)

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Comment by Jason McMahon on January 10, 2009 at 3:59pm: Yep i agree no backdraft build to well vented,

Comment by Nicholas Relich on September 5, 2008 at 5:40am: That was one of the coolest things i ever saw

Comment by Eric Pearson on July 15, 2008 at 2:07am: No one was hurt because of the grace of God and a strict enforcement of collapse zones and full PPE. We searched the debris and found (so far) no evidence of bleve. What is not evident in the mpeg is that in the middle of the structure on the first floor is a large room (office) that might have trapped smoke. Many of us fill like you that there might have been something else involved. But some of the firefighters on the explosion side said that they heard a distinct sucking sound (like an inhale) just before the fireball proceeded out. It’s still under investigation. If we hear anything new I’ll let you know. Be careful out there.

Comment by chiefgreever on July 13, 2008 at 11:42am: For all of us to have a better understanding, what was the bussiness in the lower part of this building?
This may give more idea on what took place. I'm not saying that a backdraft didn't take place as it's hard to determine not being there, but it does look more like an explosion from a tank of some type. A backdraft is a situation which can occur when a fire is starved of oxygen; consequently combustion ceases but the fuel gases and smoke remain at high temperature. If oxygen is re-introduced to the fire, eg. by opening a door to a closed room, combustion can restart often resulting in an explosive effect as the gases heat and expand.

Comment by Michael Petrey on July 9, 2008 at 2:26am: im with Brotherhood Instructors, LLC ...because the fire was well vented...

Comment by Joe on July 3, 2008 at 9:30pm: Did not look like a backdraft situation to me..

Comment by ricky on July 3, 2008 at 8:36pm: to me it looks like the building flashed over thensomething inside blew not a backdraft

Comment by Chris on July 3, 2008 at 6:47pm: Look at that blue flame that shows up just after the explosion. It looks to me like there may have been a natural gas line break, or maby a BLEVE from some type of compressed produce from inside of the bldg. Dose not look like a backdraft to me. That fire was in a free burning state, and had self vented from the roof. What type of businesses were on the first floor?

Comment by stephen schaefer on July 2, 2008 at 8:09pm: It didn't look to me that , that building was starving for air to be a backdraft. Smoke and flames were freely flowing from the structure, from all visible sides. Something in there, caused that explosion. Thank God no one was committed in there, and fire fighters were positioned at a safe distance.

Comment by Todd Fetcho on July 2, 2008 at 5:23pm: I have never seen a backdraft thank God, but I do have to agree about the way the fire was vented and there was really no way to trap the heat and smoke to create the necessary conditions to trigger a backdraft.