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The explosion was felt for up to a mile and a half, and the windows of neighboring houses were blown out.
Six people were rushed to hospital on Monday after a house exploded in a Dallas suburb, officials said.
The explosion occurred around 4:40 p.m. local time in a residential area of Plano, Texas, about 20 miles north of downtown Dallas. Plano Fire-Rescue said a one-story house was “completely destroyed” by the explosion, the power of which was felt up to a mile away by residents as well as staff at a public library .
Homes on both sides of the blown up house “suffered extreme structural damage,” while those across the street had blown-out windows, according to Plano Fire-Rescue.
A resident, who was inside the house that exploded, was found in the rubble by first responders and later taken to a local hospital for his injuries. Five other people – two adults and three children – who live in the house next door were also injured and taken to hospital, Plano Fire-Rescue said.
The only resident of the house on the other side of the house that exploded was not injured by the blast, according to Plano Fire-Rescue.
Plano’s fire marshal and his investigators have since determined that the explosion was most likely caused by a gas leak inside the house. The leak has been isolated in this house and no other house is in danger, Plano Fire-Rescue said. However, further investigation is needed to find out exactly where the leak was located in the house.
“The extensive damage to the house will hamper these ongoing investigations,” Plano Fire-Rescue said in a statement Tuesday.
In addition to investigators from Plano Fire-Rescue, representatives from Atmos Energy and Oncor Electric, as well as the Plano Police Department’s clearance team and agents from the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were all at the scene Tuesday. Authorities have determined that there were no hazardous materials or explosives at the site, and that the house was not a crime scene, according to Plano Fire-Rescue.
Electricity and gas were cut for the entire block until approximately 9:30 p.m. local time when Atmos Energy and Oncor Electric determined it was safe to restore power and gas, except for the house that exploded and two doors next door, according to Plano Fire- Rescue.
Plano Mayor John Muns said investigators “were working diligently to determine the cause of the explosion.”
“We are saddened by today’s tragedy of a house explosion in our city,” Muns said in a statement Monday evening. “Several of our residents have been injured. We keep them and their families close to our hearts and hope for a speedy and full recovery.”
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