Explosion survivor: ‘Thank God I’m alive’
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REXBURG – A teenager was seriously injured in an explosion believes he will make a full recovery and says it’s a miracle he’s alive.
Daniel Johnson, 18, was released from Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center Sunday – two days after he was hurt while using a hand grinder at Paradise Nursery in Rexburg.
Investigators with the Madison Fire Department say sparks from the grinder ignited an explosion that caused significant damage.
Photos obtained by EastIdahoNews.com show the force of the blast. A door was blown off its hinges, debris ricocheted through walls and the ceiling and several items were ruined during the explosion.
“Thank God I’m alive,” Johnson tells EastIdahoNews.com. “I’m not in very much pain right now and my vision has improved since I left the hospital.”
Johnson sustained shrapnel injuries to his arms, face, ears and eyes. Doctors repaired a damaged eardrum and believe he will eventually regain hearing out of his other ear as well.
“He’s doing good,” Alisha Johnson, Daniel’s sister, says. “He’s been pretty active and we’re so happy he’s home.”
Investigators are still working to determine exactly what caused the explosion. Paradise Nursery has reopened for business.
