It happened on Doulton Drive around 10am
Authorities said a person called CenterPoint to report the gas leak.
About an hour later, they said the explosion took place, and lifted the house from the foundation in the air. The fire then broke out leaving only a pile of the house’s remains.
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HFD said that the homeowner whose house caught fire could get out before the explosion, and that there were no other injuries.
“It’s an extremely happy scenario where no one is injured,” said Mike Mire, assistant head of HFD. “If you have an explosion, the pressure waves normally move and are only blocked by the adjoining houses. It is surprising that the destruction was limited to one house.”
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He also said the fire spread to an adjoining house and a car parked nearby. The blast shattered windows of nearby homes and caused other minor destruction.
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The couple who lost the house have been living in it for more than 50 years. Their family set up a GoFundMe to cover the cost of the damage.
Mire also said the couple had contact with the American Red Cross for help.
CentrePoint staff were also able to come out to limit the leak. They said the leak occurred from a two-inch pipeline, and they had to work gradually to eliminate it.
“If you smell gas, get out,” Mire said in case of future emergencies. “Do not turn on light switches. Do not turn on flashes.”
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