Exploding Furnace Sends South Dakota Man to Hospital

For many South Dakotans, this is the first time we're firing up the furnace for the winter. As the cold winds and snow arrived in Butler, one homeowner was lighting the pilot light in the furnace when a sudden explosion sent him to the burn unit.

KSFY TV is reporting that "something went wrong" when the Day County man tried to light the furnace. The explosion was heard for miles and caused significant damage to the house. All of the windows had been blown out as well.

The unidentified man's neighbors helped board up the house until repairs could begin. The man's injuries (miraculously) do not seem to be life-threatening but is in a Minneapolis burn unit.

This serves as a good reminder to have your furnace ready to go for winter by calling a reputable heating and cooling company. Winter crept up on us too quickly but make sure the home's heating unit is well maintained.