A house exploded with people inside Thursday evening in Utah, killing one and hospitalizing two in critical condition.
The structure near Newton, Utah was deemed to be a total loss, with the cause of the explosion unclear Friday morning as an investigation continued, according to a press release from the Cache County Sheriff’s Office.
Officials said a man was “blown” out of the home by the explosion around 6 p.m. and suffered serious burns, KUTV reported. Rescue crews heard a woman calling for help inside the house and recovered her from the wreckage, the press release stated.
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Both were in critical condition and taken to two different area hospitals. A third occupant could not initially be located, but was found dead around midnight.
“The individual had perished in the explosion,” officials stated, according to KUTV. “Our sincerest of condolences to family and friends of the victims involved.”
Footage of the decimated, smoking home and large emergency response was shared on social media.
The incident occurred at 5670 North State Road 23, south of Newton, the Salt Lake Tribune reported.
The scene drew response from nine area fire departments, according to the press release. The state fire marshal was called to assist in the investigation.
A neighbor told KUTV that they smelled propane after the explosion, and another neighbor said debris from the explosion landed on his property.
A witness reportedly said the fire “roared to life” after not immediately igniting following the explosion.
A string of three structure fires and an explosion recently alarmed residents near San Bernardino, California. Authorities have suggested the blazes stemmed from gas lines damaged by a severe storm.
This was a breaking news story. The details were periodically updated as more information became available.
