N. Babylon Woman Seriously Injured in House Explosion

Suffolk County Police have identified a North Babylon woman as one of 14 people injured in a house explosion in Brentwood on Tuesday.

Patricia Salegna-Maqueda, a State Farm Insurance representative from North Babylon, was at residence of 12 Prospect Drive in Brentwood regarding a claim submitted for flooding when the house exploded at 11:55 a.m. She was seriously injured in the blast, police said.

The cause of the explosion is not yet known, police said. However, officials told reporters that two 200-pound propane tanks were outside the house at the time of the explosion. 

One individual, Rah-quan Palmer, an 18-month-old toddler, was killed in the explosion. His mother, Christina Morgan, 23, and his father, Rashamel Palmer, 28, were also injured, along with two others living in the home, Calvin Harris, 23, and Irving Justiniano, 63.

Michael Ray, a plumber with Your Town Cesspool Plumbing & Heating, was also visiting the home regarding the flooding claim. Ray, 48, of Islip, was seriously injured, police said.

The explosion destroyed the home and sent furniture, wood and other debris through the streets. The explosion was strong enough to damage nearby homes and injure neighbors.

Patricia Arnoth, 47, and her son, Michael Arnoth, 24, of 14 Prospect Drive, were two of them. Police said they were sent to a nearby hospital and released. Their home, along with an adjacent residence at 30 Prospect Drive, were condemned as a result of damage from the blast, police said.

Responders, including seven Suffolk County Police officers and two firefighters were also hurt in the blast, treated at local hospitals and released. 

Those hurt in the explosion were treated at Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center in West Islip, Stony Brook University Hospital in Stony Brook and Southside Hospital in Bay Shore after the blast.