'Very frightening:' 2 taken to the hospital, 1 unaccounted for after house explosion in Kenosha





KENOSHA -- One person was unaccounted for after a home exploded in Kenosha early Sunday, March 22. It happened around 12:30 a.m. in the area near 30th Avenue and 78th Street on the city's southwest side.

"We woke up to the big blast, and all I saw was flames coming out of the house," said Susan Stephenson, neighbor.

She then saw her neighbor.

"Arms were just burned, ugh, and he was just a mess, and all he kept saying was that there was someone in the basement," said Stephenson. "Across the street, all burned, and his wife coming out, and all he kept saying is, 'There's someone in the basement!'"



Three people were inside the home at the time.

"In fact, did explode, and was on fire, subsequently catching on fire the house that was immediately to the north," said Kenosha Fire Chief Charles Leipzig. "Two victims were removed from the home, and transported to local hospitals. I'm unsure of the condition of the victims."



Two were taken to the hospital -- the third considered missing.

"The house collapsed, so it's all in the basement, and that's going to be a process to remove debris so that we can identify if there is, in fact, a victim there," said Chief Leipzig.



Among destroyed vehicles, bubbling siding, and fragments of someone's home, an excavation site began to take shape.

"Seeing the destruction two houses down was quite, quite, uncomfortable, I would say," said Daniel May, neighbor.



Three families were displaced as a result of the explosion and fire.

"It's very frightening ... just to think that just a couple doors down from me, someone could have passed away," said May.



The cause was under investigation.