Explosion levels North College Hill home
2 dogs feared dead in blast
UPDATED 7:57 AM EDT Jul 19, 2016
NORTH COLLEGE HILL, Ohio —A Monday night explosion leveled a North College Hill home, likely killing two dogs inside.
The incident happened around 9:30 p.m. in the 1900 block of Bising Avenue.
Heavy flames poured from the home and multiple departments were called to help contain the blaze.
Officials said the homeowner had just left the residence to go to a grocery store when the blast rocked the neighborhood.
“Someone was watching out for me. They made me decide to go,” Tim Skinner said. “It’s a reason to go to church."
Skinner said he believes two of his three dogs were killed in the blast.
Firefighters said they suspect natural gas caused the explosion, but the official cause remains under investigation.
Duke Energy officials were on site, working to determine if Duke Energy infrastructure was involved or caused of the explosion.
The blast also caused damage around the home, including a truck that suffered enough damage as to be unusable until it's fixed.
Officials said one person suffered a seizure at the scene. It is unclear if it is related to the explosion. The person’s condition is unknown.
Firefighters spent the night watching for flare ups. Investigators are expected to return at around 9 a.m. to look more closely at the remains.