ANN ARBOR, Mich. – An explosion at a house on the 700 block of South Seventh Street in Ann Arbor shocked residents early Monday morning, leading to street closures and sending one person to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, police said. The explosion caused extensive damage to the house and is currently under investigation to determine the cause.
According to witnesses, a man who was inside the house at the time of the explosion was rushed to the hospital for treatment. Another nearby home also sustained damage from the blast. Fred Hutchinson, a neighbor who lives across the street from the site of the explosion, recounted being awakened by the blast and witnessing the house engulfed in flames. He attempted to go and assist the man inside the house but was shocked to see the entire house collapse within minutes.
Paul Schrems, another resident living near the blast site, described the explosion as being so loud that it sounded like a bomb going off. Residents were advised to avoid roadways between West Davis and West Madison due to the explosion, and photos shared by the Ann Arbor police depicted a raging fire and immense flames following the incident.
The cause of the explosion remains under investigation, and authorities have warned residents to steer clear of the affected areas as investigations continue. The local community is coming together to support those affected by the explosion, and details are expected to emerge as the investigation progresses.