Grayson County

Propane leak suspected in deadly Sherman explosion

A man died and a woman is in critical condition

0:00
0:00 / 1:36
NBC Universal, Inc.

A propane leak is suspected of causing a deadly explosion in Grayson County. It happened at a home east of Highway 75 in Sherman. NBC 5’s Meredith Yeomans tells how the lone survivor is being treated in Plano.

A propane leak is suspected of causing a deadly explosion in Grayson County.

It happened at a home in the 4300 block of Sistrunk Street in Sherman. The blast and fire that followed left the home unrecognizable. Neighbors called 911 around 8:15 Sunday night. When firefighters arrived, they said they found the homeowner dead inside and a woman trapped under a wall.

Watch NBC 5 free wherever you are

Watch button  WATCH HERE

The debris field spanned 300 feet, investigators said.

β€œThe wall kind of protected her from the fire,” said Grayson County Fire Marshal John Weda.

Get top local stories delivered to you every morning with NBC DFW's News Headlines newsletter.

Newsletter button  SIGN UP

Firefighters say they spent an hour rescuing the woman identified by relatives as Sharon Bateman.

Bateman was flown to Medical City Plano where she remains in critical condition Monday evening. Relatives identified James Bateman as the man firefighters found dead inside the home.

David Vogel is a longtime friend and insurance agent.

β€œJust a good man, great character. always would come in and make his payments every month and always had stories to tell, and loved his family,” said Vogel.

Investigators suspect propane played a role in the explosion.

They say the Batemans reported the smell of propane an hour before the explosion to other family members.

β€œThey use propane. We had a 250-gallon propane tank here on site plus they got another 100-gallon tank in the back for another building,” said Weda.

The investigation is ongoing.

Contact Us