A natural gas explosion that levelled a house in the US and injured 15 people has been caught on camera.
A gas main in a neighbourhood at the New Jersey shore broke, causing the blast that left two people critically hurt.
A police car’s dashboard camera recorded a fireball followed by a downpour of debris.
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Gas crews and emergency responders were investigating a strong smell of natural gas when an unoccupied home that was undergoing renovations exploded.
Seven of the injured were gas company workers and two of them were in critical condition at a hospital in Atlantic City.
Six firefighters and two emergency medical service technicians also were injured, sustaining concussion-like symptoms from the shock wave of the blast.
All but one had been treated at local hospitals and released by mid-afternoon.
Among them was Stafford Township Fire Chief Jack Johnson, who was about 50 feet from the home when it blew up.
The cause of the explosion has not yet been determined.
About 300 homes were left without gas and some without electricity, although authorities said the situation was under control.
Stafford Police Captain Tom Dellane said other homes located within several blocks of the blast, which he termed “a very large explosion”, suffered varying degrees of damage.
Utility workers have been working to restore the service.
Residents spent last night into this morning without heating amid freezing temperatures.