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Clothes Dryer Blamed For Md. House Explosion

ROCKVILLE, Md. (AP) -- Authorities say an improperly installed clothes dryer caused an explosion that destroyed a Rockville area home and seriously injured two people.

Montgomery County fire officials blamed the early Wednesday morning blast on the male occupant's attempt to replace a gas-powered dryer with an electric model. Officials say something the man did allowed gas to seep into the home, and when the gas hit a spark the home exploded.

Authorities say the man and a woman were taken to hospital with serious injuries.

Wednesday's explosion is the second in the Washington area in recent days. On Monday, a Dumfries home was leveled by a similar blast which Prince William County officials preliminarily blamed on a gas leak. The exact cause of that explosion is still under investigation.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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