Minneapolis, MN – (WCCO) Minneapolis A house explosion in Minneapolis is being called a winter weather warning for all homeowners.
On Tuesday morning, an explosion triggered a fire in a house in the 3900 block of North Sixth Street.
Several adults and teenagers lived in the house and one man suffered minor burns. He was taken to Hennepin County Medical Center for treatment of his injuries.
“They are so lucky, you know,” said Joua Xiong, whose cousin and his family lived in the house.
The Minneapolis Public Housing Authority owns the house. Xiong said on Monday, his cousin called the Authority to complain about a natural gas smell.
The Authority told the family to get out of the house immediately, but Xiong’s cousin later returned to get something.
Minneapolis firefighters don’t know what caused the explosion, but Xiong believes his cousin flicked on a light switch, which caused the explosion.
Several agencies, including CenterPoint Energy and the Office of Pipeline Safety, are investigating the explosion. Inspectors ruled no gas lines outside of the house were leaking and believe something inside the house, such as a gas appliance, is to blame.
Officials remind people if they smell gas to leave the house immediately.
The Authority is now renting the family another house down the street from their old one. The American Red Cross is also assisting the family.