Blast Victim In ‘Critical’ Condition

KTIV photo of rural home We have a clearer picture of the injuries a western Iowa man suffered when his house exploded, Tuesday afternoon.

The Monona County Sheriffs Department says 80-year-old Earl Thelander suffered burns on 40% of his body in the blast at a home he owned, near Onawa.

He’s listed in “critical condition” in the burn unit of an Omaha hospital. Wednesday, Monona County investigators said Thelander’s burns are third-degree.

Investigators believe the explosion is tied to an early morning break-in at Thelander’s house.

Updated: August 29, 2007, 6:46 pm