Martha Stewart’s dog dies in kennel blast

updated 1:15 p.m. ET March 9, 2009

ALLENTOWN, Pa. - Martha Stewart’s chow puppy was one of 17 dogs killed in an accidental propane explosion at an eastern Pennsylvania kennel.

The domestic maven wrote on her blog that she was “deeply saddened” by the death of her dog, Ghengis Khan, in Friday’s blast at Pazzazz Pet Boarding, a kennel in the Pocono Mountains that breeds and trains show dogs.

Fifteen dogs were killed in the explosion, and two more died over the weekend.

The kennel in Lehighton was getting a propane delivery when the tank ignited, setting the pens on fire and injuring the driver, Timothy Kleinhagen, of Summit Hill.

Though badly burned, Kleinhagen managed to toss a cairn terrier over the kennel fence to safety. He was listed in critical condition Monday at Lehigh Valley Hospital.

“That man is a hero,” said the kennel’s co-owner, Karen Tracy. “My heart goes out to his family.”

Genghis Khan was a grandson of Stewart’s previous chow, Paw Paw, which died last April at age 12. He was a familiar face on her television show and in her magazine.

Stewart announced on her blog in December that she was adopting Genghis Khan, then 7 weeks old, calling him “very cute and square.” She said she expected him to be “conquering his new territory in my home soon, with great charm and prowess. I’m also confident that Sharkey and Francesca (Stewart’s French bulldogs) will be enamored with him.”

It wasn’t immediately clear how much time Genghis Khan had spent at Stewart’s Westchester County, N.Y., estate.

Stewart also sent condolences to Tracy, who breeds and trains dogs that compete in shows throughout the country, including Westminster. Many of the dead dogs belonged to Tracy and her mother, Jean Ahner, who live on the property in Franklin Township, Carbon County, about 75 miles north of Philadelphia.

“My heart goes out to Karen Tracy and I am hoping for a speedy recovery for those (both pets and humans) injured in this terrible event,” Stewart wrote.

Officials have said a spark or static electricity may have started the blaze, which remains under investigation but is considered accidental.

AmeriGas Propane Inc., which owned the truck that Kleinhagen was driving, has declined to comment.

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