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The Harper Rock Fire Department at the location of the house explosion on Tuesday, December 31, 2013. (Photo courtesy of Harper Rock Fire Department via twitter)
HARPER ROCK — A house exploded Thursday afternoon in Harper Rock, flinging debris onto the roofs of nearby homes and sending a column of smoke into the sky. The explosion, shortly after 10 p.m., could be heard for miles.
One person was unaccounted for. Shortly before 11 p.m., authorities reported the search had located a scent, but had not yet found a body.
The ruins of the house, in Larch Court, were being searched by Harper Rock fire and police investigators, seeking clues to the cause of the blast.
The fire was out within 20 minutes, but the neighborhood still smelled of smoke at 5 p.m.
The homeowners told police there was a third party seen leaving the home and they think that person had been in the house because they had been seen in the neighborhood earlier carrying a large duffel bag, but when they left they were empty handed.
City spokeswoman Lisa Wilson said the scene is now in "recovery mode."
"It's a long process," Wilson said. "The scene is unstable and there are hot spots, and so the investigators have to move very slowly."
The blast shook the entire neighborhood.
"I heard it and saw it too," said Richard Sutton, who lives a block and a half away.
"I was outside talking with my neighbor and it went right up — the insulation and the roof just went up in a big mushroom.
"It shook the heck out of my house; I looked over at my neighbor and he was almost on the ground — we had just had a get together, and we were all in a great mood.. then blam!”
Toni Marie Nicastro, 20, lives a couple of blocks away.
"I was sleeping and the house started shaking," she said.
"I came downstairs and all the pictures on our walls had fallen to the floor.
"I went back into my parents' bedroom and you could see the flames just pouring from the house."
Police are on the lookout for the subject seen leaving the premise; possibly female, 5’ to 5’5” slender build, wearing black hoodie, jeans and pink running shoes. If you have any information on the individual matching this description, you are urged to call the Harper Rock Crimestoppers Hotline.
