Canton, Ohio house destroyed in massive natural gas explosion

Early Thursday morning at about 4 a.m., a large natural‑gas explosion ripped through a residential neighbourhood in Canton, Ohio. The blast demolished a house and damaged five nearby homes.

The shock wave was felt up to 3.2 km away, breaking windows and toppling power lines. Two occupants were launched hundreds of metres; one suffered severe burns covering about 80 % of his body, the other was located several hours later with serious injuries.

Emergency crews evacuated displaced residents and treated the injured at local hospitals. The cause of the explosion remains under investigation.