State Fire Marshal investigating deadly explosion in Ellsworth Township
ELLSWORTH TOWNSHIP, Ohio - At around 7:20 in the morning Ellsworth Township Firefighters responded to a deadly house explosion in the 8000 block of Huxley Road.
A neighbor got there before firefighters and was able to pull a person out of the basement.
A medical helicopter responded and rushed an injured person to the hospital.
It's believed four people were inside the home when it exploded, along with some pet dogs.
Officials will not confirm deaths until relatives are notified.
"Nothing was left of the house. We had an active fire when we arrived, The fire was extinguished. We did an active search and rescue efforts to remove all victims," Assistant Fire Chief Jillian Smith said.
Firefighters, EMT's from Green, Beaver, and Canfield also rushed to site to help.
Most of the boards that once framed the home were reduced into splinters.
A few boards that survived the blast in tact landed in a neighbors yard with such force they were planted about a foot under the ground.
Signs of the force from the blast and destruction were everywhere in a debris field of up to one-half mile.
"There is significant damage to the neighbors including the neighbors across the street, so we have basement windows that have been blown in, some structural damage, so we are working with local boarding up companies to make sure the houses are structurally sound and that they have what they need," Smith said.
Pieces of insulation covered the landscape, Other pieces reached the top branches of this tree out front. The insulation from the blast also scattered down the road.
Some neighgors tell 21 News there was some rennovation taking place including new siding being put on the home.
Pictures in happy times capture treasured memories over the years lay scattered across yards and down Huxley Road.
Damian, Alaina, and Zach collected dozens of photos to give to relatives.
"Just collecting photos for the family and the relatives because you know this is all they have left. My sister and brother in law were good friends with them. I'm going to give them to them. I'm going to give them to them. Hopefully they can do something with them," Zach Hafeke said.
The Assistant Fire chief tells us the State Fire Marshal's Office is assisting with the investigation.
Like many homes in rural areas water is heated by propane, as well as used for heating homes.
The investigation is expected to take time, and the road where the house once sat will be closed, however people can still get access to their homes from Leffingweld or Western Reserve Roads.
The investigation will take time with the Ohio Fire Marshals working to determine the cause of the explosion.
"Basically work from the outside in and start piecing it's a big puzzle and you start looking at the obvious causes of a potential explosion and kind of work out from there," Assistant Fire Chief Smith explained.
