First responders rescued 14 people from the home, which caught fire after the explosion on its second floor, and one man escaped on his own, Bollwage said.
Advertisement
In Elizabeth, neighbors said the explosion caught them by surprise. Bourne said no gas leaks were found. “We’re still investigating”, Bourne said.
Two homes in the area will need to be demolished, and several others still need to be evaluated.
In all, 15 people went to hospitals, including an 11-year-old, the mayor said.
There has been one confirmed fatality and up to eight people are injured, officials said. “During the initial investigation, during the initial walk-through and the start of the shoring up of the building there’s been no visible sign of propane at this time”, Mayor J. Christian Bollwage said. “That’s not to say the person is still in the building”.
The house at 1031 Magnolia Ave. exploded at about 8 a.m. There were no reports of fire caused by the explosion. “His bedroom has a window that faces that house”.
“I heard a loud boom and the house shook a little”, Lisset Garcia, who lives about two blocks away, told the Associated Press, saying she was in bed with her daughter when the house exploded.
City of Elizabeth spokesperson Kelly Vence said it is an ongoing situation.
Advertisement
“I want to offer my deepest condolences to all the families affected”, said Granados, who was on the scene.
