House explodes in central Illinois, sends couple into yard

WASHINGTON, Ill. (AP) - Authorities in central Illinois say a house exploded outside the city of Washington sending two residents hurtling out of the home.

Tazewell County Sheriff's Department chief deputy Jeff Lower tells the (Peoria) Journal Star (http://bit.ly/2bGo7Sn ) that the blast happened about 1:45 a.m. Wednesday. Emergency responders arrived to find the property full of debris and the house on fire. The only part of the home left was a chimney.

Lower said authorities are looking into a gas leak as a possible cause. The Illinois State Fire Marshal is assisting the investigation.

The husband and wife who were inside the home were found lying in the yard outside. The husband was about 20 feet from the house. They weren't immediately identified but Lower said their injuries weren't life threatening.

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Information from: Journal Star, http://pjstar.com