An Upper Saucon couple received burns when a propane tank exploded while the man was trying to drill a hole in the tank to recycle it, township police said. 

Steven Luther, 53, of 6064 Main Street was attempting to recycle a propane tank in the hallway of his home about 1:45 p.m. Sunday, Upper Saucon Police said. Someone had told him that the way to prepare a tank for recycling was to drill a hole in it and that's what he tried to do.

The tank blew up, blowing out a front window and leaving Luther with burns to his head, face and hands and his wife, Merrie Luther, 56, with burns to an elbow, police said. 

The blast started a fire but a passerby helped put it out before police and firefighters arrived. 

The Luthers were taken to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest, where they were in stable condition Sunday evening, according to a Morning Call report.