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New Jersey Home Explosion Kills 1; Injures 4 More

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Oct 19, 2007 9:34 am US/Eastern

New Jersey Home Explosion Kills 1; Injures 4 More

IRVINGTON, N.J. (CBS) ―

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An explosion leveled two homes in Irvington, N.J. early Friday, killing one person and injuring at least four more, authorities said.

The explosion occurred around 7:30 a.m., and involved a vacant six-family house and a new three-story home that was under construction, officials said.

"There's still people trapped inside the pile of debris," Irvington Deputy Fire Chief Charles Weiss said.

Rescue crews from nearby towns Newark and Elizabeth, were searching the rubble, he said.

Weiss said the explosion caused debris to fly up to four blocks away and sparked several fires, which were under control within two hours.

Of the four injured, only one needed to be hospitalized, Weiss said.

Construction workers were on the scene when the explosion occurred, said Paul Loriquet, spokesman for the Essex County prosecutor's office.

"There was a strong gas odor emanating from the location, so we believe gas could have been involved in the explosion," Loriquet said.

The names of the victims were not immediately released. The explosion happened in a neighborhood in Irvington, about 5 miles west of Newark.