Philadelphia Explosion Injures 8, Destroys Three Homes [Video]

An explosion in Philadelphia injured 8 people this morning and destroyed three homes.

According to UPI, the explosion was caused by a natural gas leak. Philadelphia Gas Works has shut off gas service to the block as the Fire Marshall continues its investigation.

The explosion occurred this morning on the 400 block of Daly Street. Three homes at 426, 428 and 430 Daly Street were leveled in the incident.

A contractor who was working on a water heater in the basement of one of the homes was badly burned in the explosion. ABC reports that he had burns on 22% of his body and was taken to the hospital in critical condition.

A witness said: “There was a fella who was all burned up, the firemen were hosing him down with a hose… He was really in bad shape.”

Seven other people, including two children, also suffered minored injuries from the accident.

The Denver Post reports that the neighborhood was briefly evacuated after the incident. Gas and electrical services were turned off to about 70 homes as city officials worked to determin the cause of the accident. Residents were allowed back in their homes a few hours after the explosion.

Sekeya Fields, a resident in the area, said that she was talking to her boyfriend as his home started to collapse.

Fields said: “I was speaking to him on the phone when it all started. It sounded like it was car crashes happening simultaneously. All he said was ‘Babe, the house is falling down,’ and before he could finish anything else the line went dead and I rushed home.”

Here’s a video about the explosion this morning in Philadelphia.