CANTON — Two men suffered severe burns after a suspected gas explosion in Canton on Thursday morning.
As previously reported, the explosion happened around 4 a.m. on Bonnot Place Northeast.
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When firefighters arrived on the scene, they found the home destroyed. Canton Division of Fire Chief Steve Henderson told our CBS news affiliate WOIO.
Fire officials said the fire started in the basement and was most likely caused by a gas leak.
Firefighters found one man in the street with severe burns after he was thrown from the home by the explosion.
The injured man told crews that there was someone else in the basement of the home.
Four hours later, around 8 a.m., firefighters responded to a house on 15th Street, a few blocks away, where they found a man with severe burns in a basement.
Both men were transported to Akron Children’s Hospital Burn Center. Fire officials have not released an update on their conditions.
Investigators said that neither man lived at the Bonnot Place home, which was vacant and listed for sale.
When asked why the men were inside the home, Henderson said the investigation is ongoing.
Henderson said that three people were able to escape the neighboring home after the fire had spread. 23 people were affected by the explosion, and the Red Cross has been called to assist them.
Several homes in the surrounding area sustained varying degrees of fire and structural damage, according to a spokesperson.
The spokesperson said the explosion had scattered debris throughout the neighborhood, knocking down multiple power lines, creating additional hazards for emergency responders and residents.
An excavator was brought to the scene to aid crews in searching through the debris field and to support ongoing operations.
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