ST. PAUL, Minn. - Authorities are investigating a house explosion in St. Paul that injured at least two people.
Surveillance video captures the explosion that happened around 8:30 a.m. in the 600 block of Payne Avenue on Friday.
Authorities say that the entire block has been condemned.
An 80-year-old man, who was inside the home, was pulled from the wreckage and rushed to the hospital.
Hospital officials say the man, who is listed by county records as the property owner, is in critical condition.
The fire department also confirmed late Friday that a three-year-old across the street suffered minor injuries from the blast.
A dog and a cat also were rescued.
Debris was strewn about the intersection. Windows were shattered in a home across the street, and residents in surrounding homes were displaced.
The cause of the blast wasn't immediately determined.
Several people shared their experiences of being jolted awake by the loud noise and shakes this morning.
"Like a big old boom, all we heard was a big boom and shaking," Robin Williams said. She said she lives in a home nearby. "I thought someone hit a car, or someone fell or something."
Ali Hussein said he just moved a few steps away from the explosion a month ago. This morning he woke up to shattered windows.
"I was so scared I actually got out of the house i was like, what's going on?" Hussein said. "I saw outside that it was actually burning."
Mohamed Ali, who co-owns Karibu Grocery and Deli down the street, heard and felt the explosion as he was getting ready to open the store Friday morning. His store's surveillance camera captured the blast in its entirety.
"You're just in shock," Ali said. "You don't know how to react in that moment."
Luckily, the store was far enough away that it was able to escape without damage.
The St. Paul Fire Safety manager Angie Wiese said utilities to the surrounding homes and business have been shut off for safety purposes.
"So that crews can operate, the entire block does not have utilities or gas," Wiese said.