A 69-year-old Kasilof man died Thursday morning after a gas leak caused an explosion and fire at his home, Alaska State Troopers said.
First responders responded to a report of a structure fire at Mile 7.5 of Kalifornsky Beach Road just before 5:30 a.m., troopers said. They found 69-year-old Stephen Okkonen dead inside the home. Okkonen was the sole occupant.
The explosion was caused by a propane leak, according to troopers spokesman John Dougherty. The home was a complete loss, he said.
Officials with Central Emergency Services did not immediately respond to requests for additional information Thursday.
According to an online fundraiser set up by family members, Okkonen was a husband and a father of two. The explosion and fire destroyed the home that he and his wife had lived in for more than four decades, along with their personal belongings, the fundraiser page said.