SOUTH ST PAUL, Minn. — One person is dead and first responders are trying to locate others who may be unaccounted for after a home was flattened by a suspected explosion and fire in South St. Paul Thursday morning.
South Metro Fire Chief Mark Juelfs said engines were dispatched to 1221 9th Ave. S. just after 6:18 a.m. on reports of an explosion. Fire crews arrived to find the home fully engulfed, and with help from Inver Grove Heights and Mendota Heights firefighters, the flames were quickly put down.
During a news conference, Juelff confirmed to reporters that one person was found dead, and his fire crews were still inching their way through the rubble for signs of additional victims. The chief said the known victim was found in the garage. He added officials did not know whether the incident could be gas-related.
Images from SKY 11 Thursday showed the remnants of the home blown completely off its foundation.
Neighbor Mike Schuno had just let his dog out when he heard what he described as "a loud boom." Schuno said it was powerful enough that things fell out of his cupboards and off his counter. That's when he said he looked out the front door and saw his neighbor's home engulfed in flames.
"Within seconds," he explained. "That home went up within seconds. It went up like a Roman candle."
Schuno said the initial explosion was followed by several others as the home burned. He described two of the residents of the home as a woman confined to her wheelchair and a son who took care of her. He described them as great neighbors, bringing over fresh vegetables from their garden in the summertime and occasionally just coming over to chat while he was in the yard.
Xcel Energy was called to the scene to survey the natural gas system and search for potential leaks.
Juelfs said south metro investigators will be on the scene most of the day as will agents from the State Fire Marshal's office, "methodically" examining the ruins and attempting to determine a cause for the incident.
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