One year later, Magnolia Greens home explosion still impacts Leland neighborhood

LELAND, N.C. (WWAY-TV) — Saturday marks one year since a powerful home explosion shook the Magnolia Greens community in Leland, damaging multiple homes and leaving lasting impacts for residents still trying to recover.

Construction continues on Suncrest Way, where two homes remain under repair nearly a year after the blast.

For neighbors like Donna D’Angelo, who has lived in the Three Oaks section of Magnolia Greens for 12 years, the quiet neighborhood has never felt the same.

“Things were falling off the wall and I said ‘what happened?’ I didn’t have any idea it was so bad,” D’Angelo said.

She said when she looked outside after the explosion, debris had scattered throughout the neighborhood.

“I looked outside the whole neighborhood was just covered in debris,” she said.

The explosion happened around 7:30 p.m. on May 16, 2025. No injuries were reported.

After a two-month investigation, the Three Oaks Homeowners Association informed residents investigators believed the explosion was caused by a vapor explosion.

“We wish we had more information and more evidence there to point to an exact thing that caused this,” said Leland Town Manager David Hollis.

Hollis said investigators determined the explosion originated from the trunk of a vehicle parked in the garage of the home where the blast occurred.

“Whatever exploded exhausted itself. It didn’t cause a fire afterward, it wasn’t lingering afterwards,” Hollis said.

Another Suncrest Way resident, Johnny Bulger, said the explosion damaged his home and forced him to replace flooring, light fixtures and kitchen appliances.

“I was sitting on the couch and the TV used to be up on that wall, and all of sudden ‘boom’ it came down,” Bulger said. “I mean I consider myself lucky in a sense that my home, while I couldn’t live in there for a while, it was nothing like those poor people.”

Bulger also questioned the findings of the investigation and said rumors have circulated in the neighborhood about what may have caused the blast.

“I don’t know if that’s true or not true but a lot of people don’t believe that the vapor caused it, what kind of vapor?” Bulger said.

As construction continues and some residents remain displaced, Hollis said he trusts the investigation’s conclusions and cautioned against speculation.

“It is somewhat human nature to speculate, but professionals wouldn’t speculate about things they don’t know about,” Hollis said.