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San Francisco house explodes, burns, collapses on itself

Generic Fire (FILE)
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SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — At least one civilian and one firefighter were injured after a San Francisco home exploded and caught fire Thursday morning, blowing out nearby windows and rattling residents of a quiet neighborhood.

The cause of the explosion and fire are under investigation, said Capt. Jonathan Baxter of the San Francisco Fire Department in a statement. The explosion was reported around 9:20 a.m. and the fire was extinguished before noon, he said. There is no threat to the public, he said.

A person was found outside the house with serious injuries and was taken to a hospital. It's unclear if that person was a visitor or resident. Authorities are also trying to find another occupant of the home who is unaccounted for, said Baxter.

The firefighter was also taken to a hospital but for minor injuries.

Images from the fire department and aerial footage show the house completely collapsed on itself.

San Francisco Fire Chief Jeanine Nicholson told San Francisco's ABC affiliate KGO-TV that the explosion lifted the house off its foundation. She said it destroyed the house on one side and damaged the house on the other.

Pacific Gas & Electric crews have not found any gas leaks, said Jason M. King, utility spokesperson, in an email.

King said crews also found no indications of a gas leak when the company conducted a leak survey of the property in October.