North Carolina man dies two weeks after an explosion at his home

WEDDINGTON, N.C. (AP) — An 82-year-old North Carolina man has died two weeks after an explosion at his home in suburban Charlotte, authorities said.

The Nov. 17 explosion at Wesley Decker’s home in Weddington was felt across Union County, the sheriff’s office said. The home was seriously damaged, and the man and his wife were taken to hospitals, where they were treated and later released, officials said.

Decker, who sustained extensive burns in the explosion, was recuperating at a long-term care facility when he died Friday, Union County announced in a news release Sunday. The sheriff’s office will conduct a death investigation.

The county Fire Marshal’s Office determined that there was an accidental fuel-air explosion, which occurs when fuel mixes with oxygen in the air, creating a powerful blast, officials said.

Investigators identified three potential ignition sources in the garage, where the explosion originated, but officials said the exact cause remains undetermined. Officials are working to finish their investigation.