Southwest Ohio Blast That Damaged Almost 50 Buildings ‘Suspicious’

Authorities are calling “suspicious” a natural gas explosion that leveled a vacant home and damaged 48 nearby structures in Dayton, Ohio.

Assistant Fire Chief Michael Caudill says investigators aren’t sure what would have caused the gas to ignite. One possible explanation is that inexperienced metal scrappers were taking pipes out of the home. But he says that is only speculation at this point.

The Dayton Daily News reports that the blast Monday caused several minor injuries, shattered windows and caused structural damage to some homes in the southwest Ohio city’s west side. Federal and state investigators have been helping local authorities.

One neighbor says he smelled gas five to 10 minutes before the explosion, which he says sounded like war had broken out.