Ohio house explosion believed to have been caused by suspects scrapping metal, police say

close

Video

Officials: One person dead, one injured after home explosion

A blast leveled a home in Cleveland, according to officials.

A deadly East Cleveland home explosion that reportedly damaged more than 100 other properties is believed to have been caused by four suspects who were scrapping metal at the site, it has emerged.

The announcement Tuesday following the weekend blast came as police arrested Christopher Glenn, one of those wanted in connection to the incident, which left four homes uninhabitable.

"It seems like the source of [the explosion] was from the interior of the house," said East Cleveland Police Chief Michael Cardilli, according to Cleveland.com, adding that investigators suspect that the home became filled with natural gas before exploding.

The State Fire Marshal and federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms were still working Wednesday to determine the definitive cause of the blast.

At least one person was killed in a house explosion in Cleveland on Sunday. (Cleveland Fire Department)

The explosion killed 27-year-old Tracey C. Brooks and severely injured Craig M. Kelly, 51, who are both suspects, Cleveland.com reported. A 50-year-old male suspected of being the driver of a van used to transport the scrap metal also is in custody. Glenn was detained Tuesday after he was found selling a water heater on the street, although police don’t believe it came from the house.

Sunday’s explosion damaged more than 100 homes, officials reportedly said, but as of Wednesday, no charges have been filed yet.

The home that exploded, which was vacant, was set to undergo $10,000 in renovations by a new owner who wanted to use it as a rental property, Cleveland.com reported.

One person was also critically injured in the house explosion. (Cleveland Fire Department)

“It sounded like somebody dropped a bomb,” one resident in the area said.

Other neighbors told Fox 8 the explosion knocked out windows of homes five houses away from the blast site. Photos from the scene showed pieces of wood and debris scattered everywhere.