Gas Explosion Levels New York Home

April 4, 2008
There were no injuries in the explosion.

NEW YORK --

A house in Westchester County lay in ruins Thursday after being destroyed by a gas explosion, fire officials said.

The home, located at 60 Fayette Road in Scarsdale, blew up after a gas leak, according to the Scarsdale Fire Department. The department said there were no injuries.

According to a neighbor, the house was newly constructed and almost completely finished.

Scarsdale Fire Department Chief Thomas Cain said construction workers with a backhoe had cut into or dislodged a gas service line and called the fire department when they smelled the gas. When he arrived, he ordered the workers away -- just in time.

"As they were walking off the property and we were about to investigate, the house blew," Cain said. "We're very fortunate that nobody was hurt."

Con Edison said it had no workers on the site before the blast, but they responded soon after. The Scarsdale Fire Department required Con Edison to shut off electricity and gas at the house, the utility said.

Firefighters put out the blaze, and Con Ed utility workers were able to cut off the gas to the house's line.

The house was reduced to blackened debris except for the front wall of a two-car garage, which was leaning sharply. Some debris flew into neighboring yards, but there was no apparent damage to other houses in the area of million-dollar-plus homes.

Copyright 2008 by WNBC.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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