HUDSON, Mass. (AP) – A local merchant died in an explosion Tuesday night when his blowtorch apparently ignited a substance inside a 55-gallon drum at his store.

John Nelson, the 48-year-old longtime owner of Hudson Restoration, suffered severe head trauma and died at Marlborough Hospital shortly after the accident.

“It appears that he was working with some type of welding or cutting some metal,” Police Chief Richard Braga told the MetroWest Daily News of Framingham.

Michael Rebeiro, an employee at the auto body shop next to Nelson’s store, said Nelson was a friendly man who worked alone and had many trades, including sandblasting and auto work.

Rebeiro found Nelson’s dog, Josey, unharmed after the loud explosion but trembling in a corner.

Determining the details of the accident will be difficult because there were no witnesses, Hudson officials said.

AP-ES-06-16-04 1313EDT