JAMESTOWN, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – An early morning garage explosion at 545 1st St. W in Jamestown left a 55-year-old resident critically injured on Thursday. The explosion, reported at approximately 1:36 a.m., sparked multiple emergency calls to Stutsman County Communications.

Responding units from the Jamestown Fire Department, Jamestown Police Department, and Jamestown Area Ambulance arrived to find the garage fully engulfed in flames. The fire rapidly spread to the home. First responders located the resident outside the house with severe burns. The individual was coherent at the time but was immediately transported to Jamestown Regional Medical Center. Due to the life-threatening nature of the injuries, the victim was later airlifted to a hospital in Minneapolis for specialized treatment.

Tragically, the resident’s pet could not be saved. Early rescue attempts by officers were unsuccessful, and the animal was later found deceased in the home.

The cause of the explosion and fire remains under investigation, with assistance from the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the North Dakota Fire Marshal’s Office. Streets in the surrounding area have been closed, and authorities urge the public to avoid the vicinity to allow investigators space to work.