A house exploded and burst into flames on Indianapolis' southwest side Saturday night.
The explosion happened in the 1300 block of Pershing Avenue at about 8:40 p.m. Citizens Gas officials were at the scene shortly after the blast in an effort to determine whether a gas leak may have caused the blast, 6News' Jeremy Brilliant reported.
Neighbors felt the blast in their own homes. Some items remained intact inside the home where the blast happened, but walls and floors were blown away.
"I was laying in my bed with my daughter and I saw a big light. I opened my curtains and my window and when I looked out, it literally exploded," one neighbor said. "The whole side of the house exploded."
Fire officials said no one was inside the home when the explosion happened. The home where the blast occurred and one home next door are both vacant, officials said. Residents of another home next door left just minutes before the explosion.
"There was a strong odor of gas just before firefighters arrived," said Indianapolis fire Capt. Gregg Harris.
Gas and power were shut off to the three affected homes, Harris said. Siding was melted and windows were shattered in one of the homes adjacent to where the explosion occurred.
Officials said it was very fortunate that there were no injuries.
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