DETROIT (WXYZ) — Crews were on the scene of a house explosion in Detroit on Monday afternoon.
The scene is in the 16000 block of Sussex, which is near Puritan. The explosion ripped the home to shreds and rocked the neighborhood. Neighbors say they smelled gas in the area. According to DTE Energy, the explosion is the result of an "open fuel line" in the home. However, the utility says their equipment was working as expected, and did not have any leaks.
DTE has issued the following statement on the situation:
Safety is the top priority for DTE Energy – for our customers, communities and employees. Today, our teams worked with local and federal authorities as they investigated a home explosion in Detroit. The investigation confirmed that all DTE equipment was working as expected – without gas leaks. The investigation also confirmed that the incident was a result of at least one open fuel line on resident-owned equipment inside the home.
We urge all residents, in any situation, if you smell or suspect a gas leak to leave the area at once, call 911, then call DTE at 800.947.5000 (or your natural gas provider), to report the situation.
We're told the home is occupied and the owner is on the scene. They were reportedly doing some renovations at the property. Public records show the home was purchased earlier this year.
Video from Chopper 7 showed a large field of debris around the area. We're told nearby homes were also damaged. We were also told there may only be one minor injury involving someone who may have been hit by flying debris.
The cause of the explosion is still under investigation.
No further information is available at this time.
Stay with WXYZ.com for updates on this developing story.
