A blast that shook homes three miles away

A house on Rollaway Drive NE in Comstock Park exploded just before 4 a.m. Tuesday, May 26, leveling the home and sending debris across the street. The blast triggered approximately 50 emergency calls, with neighbors reporting the shockwave reached homes as far as three miles away.

One person died. Another was critically injured. Investigators now say the explosion was an intentional act.

The investigation points to a domestic tragedy

Kent County Undersheriff Bryan Muir told reporters the incident is a domestic-related case. He said evidence, including text messages between the couple, indicates the husband intentionally set the fire in an attempt to kill both himself and his wife.

"This is believed to be a domestic-related situation and that the fire was intentionally set, we believe by the husband at this point, intending to be a murder-suicide," Muir said.

A body believed to be the husband was recovered from the wreckage shortly before noon. The Kent County Medical Examiner has not yet confirmed the positive identification, according to the sheriff's office.

The woman, whose identity has not been released, was pulled from the burning home by two neighbors. She was treated on scene and transported to a hospital, where she remained in critical condition on Tuesday night.

Two neighbors rushed into the flames

Tim Johnson and a 17-year-old neighbor heard the woman screaming for help and pulled her from the debris before first responders arrived. Johnson sustained second-degree burns to his head and hand during the rescue.

"I had to get in there and get her out," Johnson told WOOD TV 8. "We grabbed her arms and pulled her out as far as we could."

The Kent County Sheriff's Office said the woman likely would have died without their intervention.

"We are incredibly thankful to the nearby residents that rushed to the rescue and were able to pull her from the home," Muir said. "Without their actions, it's likely she would have perished in the fire."

A GoFundMe page has been created to help cover the woman's medical expenses and future needs.

Court records show the couple was divorcing

Property records and court documents obtained by WOOD TV 8 show the couple was in the middle of divorce proceedings. The wife filed for divorce in March 2026. The pair was disputing the division of assets and alimony. Their next court hearing was scheduled for the Friday after the explosion.

How the explosion happened

Plainfield Township Fire Chief Jeremy Kelly said investigators believe the man intentionally released natural gas into the basement of the home. The ignition source remains unknown and under investigation.

"The leak of the natural gas was probably, allegedly, intentionally released into the basement," Kelly said. "Unknown what the ignition source was to cause the explosion, but every indicator at that point in time appears to be the natural gas was used to start the fire."

Firefighters from five departments, DTE Energy crews, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Michigan State Police responded to the scene. The investigation continues as a joint effort among those agencies and the Kent County Sheriff's Office.

A neighborhood shaken

Neighbor Chanel Raddatz described the sound as a bomb being dropped. Another neighbor, Kurt Dutrizac, said he saw a fireball and a mushroom cloud rising from the house within a minute of the blast.

"There was a massive noise, explosion, rumbling," Dutrizac said. "I saw that the house was on fire, kind of the backyard was on fire. There was debris strewn about and there were some screams, shouting."

Steve Huizinga, who lives a few houses down, said he heard two separate explosions.

"We heard the initial one that woke us up, and then maybe a couple of minutes later, we heard another smaller explosion," Huizinga told WWMT.

Several nearby homes had windows boarded up from the force of the blast.

Muir told the community the incident is isolated and there is no ongoing threat of gas leaks or other dangers in the neighborhood.

"We really wanted the community to know that this is an isolated incident. There's no concerns of any gas leaks or any other type of home explosions in the area," Muir said.

Anyone with information or video evidence from the incident is asked to contact the Kent County Sheriff's Office at 616-632-6125 or submit tips anonymously through Silent Observer at 616-774-2345.