GRANITE CITY, Ill. — No one was injured in an explosion that destroyed a home in Granite City, Illinois, early Monday morning.
Investigators now believe preliminary information points to a malfunctioning water heater as a cause of the explosion.
A neighbor told 5 On Your Side that the homeowner told him he was working on his hot water heater the night before.
The explosion happened at about 2:45 Monday morning at a home near the intersection of St. Clair and Dale avenues, Granite City Assistant Fire Chief Rich Moore said.
"I think it woke the whole neighborhood up. People across town said that they had heard it, too," he said.
According to Moore, no one was inside the home at the time of the explosion, and no injuries were reported. The person who lived at the home was at work at the time, Moore said.
Next-door neighbor Rob Prather's home was also damaged in the explosion.
"Thank God everybody's okay. The guy who owns the house was at work and he works midnight to eight in the morning," he said.
Prather left for work about 20 minutes before the explosion happened. His fiancée woke up to the loud sound, laying in a bed closest to the neighbor's home.
"She was actually sleeping in the back room right next to where it happened. It was just a big explosion," he said.
Crews worked all morning to clear the glass-covered streets while belongings still sat in the rubble.
Even though part of Prather's home is now damaged, he's just thankful for life.
"Count your blessings because you're not guaranteed tomorrow, so anything could happen at any time, but like I said, thank God everybody's okay," he said.
Video from the scene showed a garage door on the ground across the street.
Moore said the explosion did not appear to be suspicious.
Investigators from the fire department and the ATF are investigating the source of the explosion. This is still an ongoing investigation.
This story will be updated when more information becomes available.