Randy Mansfield escaped injury Tuesday in Howland Township, 50 miles southeast of Cleveland. He was trying to use the telephone in his neighbor's home about 5:30 p.m. when the blast turned his home into rubble, sending debris flying 200 yards in all directions, fire officials said.
``Not even 30 seconds after he came over here, it blew up,'' neighbor Phillip Cyb said. ``We were in shock.''
Mansfield told Cyb that a worker from Dominion East Ohio had been at the home earlier Tuesday because of the odor of a natural gas leak. Cyb said Mansfield ran from the residence after he returned home and still noticed the smell.
``It was horrific. He just lost everything,'' Cyb said.
Fire officials said no one was injured, but three neighboring families were not permitted to return to their homes because of the extensive damage.
A pit was left in the ground at the home site.
Howland Fire Department Chief George Brown said Wednesday a gas leak is a possible cause. The investigation is continuing Wednesday.
``We're trying to figure out what happened,'' said Neil Durbin, Dominion East Ohio spokesman.
He confirmed an employee of the gas company was at the home Tuesday and tightened a connection to a gas stove.
``That apparently resolved the odor,'' Durbin said.
