WESTLAND, Mich. (WXYZ) — A Westland home was nearly torn in half after an explosion Monday evening, officials said.
Watch the report in the video player below:
It happened around 6:50 p.m. at a home on Calhoun Court near the intersection of Merriman Road and Michigan Avenue.
“It was like the loudest thing I've ever heard," said James Braye, who owns a property in the area.
See Chopper 7 video of the aftermath below:
No one was injured, fire officials at the scene said. They said the home was being renovated after a family recently moved out. No one, including workers, were inside at the time.
“I just seen this flicker of light, like lighting and big kaboom,” neighbor Shayla Juarez said. “It would’ve been very devastating if someone was in there because prior there was a family there with little children and just to think that it would happen with them in it, it would’ve been a really sad situation.”
Investigators believe the cause of the explosion may be gas related.
“We’ve been told by the owner and neighbors this is a vacant house. Most likely, we're looking at some sort of gas incident,” Westland Fire Department Battalion Chief Brian James said.
Watch nearby surveillance video of when the explosion happened below:
Nearby homes were rattled during the explosion.
“It made us jump forward. We actually jumped to the floor. We didn’t know what was happening. I look next door and I see the house next door to me blew up,” Ricardo Melendez said. “You know what, we’re gonna be up all night thinking about this, having something explode so close to your house.”
After the explosion, Braye said he ran over to help.
“I just saw black smoke and heard the boom and decide to run over,” he said.
Westland and Canton fire crews, DTE Energy and Consumers Energy were all on scene securing the property and making sure residents were safe.
"Luckily nobody was in there, but it was really shocking,” Juarez said.
Officials are continuing to investigate.
