Explosion razes Michigan home, kills one, injures another

A house explosion in western Michigan early Tuesday morning killed one person, left another in critical condition, and leveled the residence, according to authorities. The blast occurred around 4 a.m. in Plainfield Township, north of Grand Rapids.

When deputies from the Kent County Sheriff’s Office arrived, the home was destroyed and debris was on fire. One person was pronounced dead at the scene. Two neighbors, hearing a woman yelling from the wreckage, rushed to pull her from the debris. One of those neighbors, Tim Johnson, said they grabbed her arms and pulled her out as far as they could. The woman was transported to a hospital in critical condition.

The explosion was powerful, shaking nearby homes. Johnson sustained second-degree burns to his head and a hand from the incident. Emergency crews from multiple fire departments responded to battle the flames, which also damaged a vehicle in the driveway. Officials said the structural remains were still too hot and dangerous for investigators or search dogs to enter as of Tuesday, and a male homeowner associated with the address remained unaccounted for.

Authorities have not determined a cause for the fire and explosion....