Why is the narrator secretly relieved when his condominium explodes?

After finding out about the explosion, the narrator realizes that he assesses his life through material possessions. He defines himself in terms of what he has -- the luxuries, the brand names, the designers. Now all of his possessions, all the things he thought defined him as a person, are gone. He feels free from his consumer identity. He is left only with a single suitcase and no restrictions.