Paynesville, MN – Natural gas is believed to be the cause of a home explosion Tuesday morning in Paynesville.

Police say it happened at about 8:43 a.m. on the 500 block of Morningside Avenue. First responders arrived to find the home had collapsed.

The homeowner, 76-year-old Dennis Pederson, survived the blast, crawling out of the rubble with only minor injuries.

Crews put out a small fire inside the home. A neighboring home sustained minor damage from the explosion.