At 1 a.m. the morning of Tuesday, Sept. 2, explosions in a garage at 20 Sagamore Drive started a heavy fire. State firefighters and a bomb squad responded to the scene along with Dartmouth Fire District 1. 

One person was hospitalized for burns following the explosions. Three others made it out unharmed. The family had three dogs; one died on the scene and one is currently in a veterinary hospital for smoke inhalation. The other escaped and was found later in the day.

The cause of the explosions and fire is currently under investigation by the Dartmouth Fire Department District 1, the State Fire Marshals office and the Massachusetts State Police.

One neighbor's house was damaged, but not destroyed. Due to the direction and speed of the wind, no other houses were damaged. 

As neighbors driving past slowed down to view the damage and chat about their concern for the family, some stated they were woken up by the explosion, hearing a loud “boom” sound and popping noises. The smell of smoke was still in the air over 12 hours later.

The explosion engulfed the entire garage, destroyed the house, and damaged the neighboring house and a number of vehicles, including a boat and a car. 

Two engines and a ladder company responded to the scene, with mutual aid from Fire Districts 2 and 3. The fire took firefighters 20 minutes to put out. 

The homeowners have declined requests for comment.