A man was found dead and a woman was hospitalized in critical condition after a home exploded early Tuesday morning in Comstock Park, according to the Kent County Sheriff's Office.
The blast occurred just before 4 a.m. on Rollaway Drive NE, south of 7 Mile Road NE, in Plainfield Township. Nearly 50 people called 911 to report the explosion, with some callers located as far as three miles from the scene.
Neighbors pulled woman from burning home
When firefighters arrived, they found one home "fully engulfed in flames," according to Undersheriff Bryan Muir.
"Before we got here, we found that there was at least one victim who was heroically rescued from her home," Muir said.
Two neighbors, a teenager and a man, heard the woman yelling for help and pulled her from the burning structure. Tim Johnson, one of the rescuers, told WOODTV that the blast shook his house and he could hear her calling for help.
"I had to get in there and get her out," Johnson said. "(The young man and I) grabbed her arms and pulled her out as far as we could."
Johnson sustained second-degree burns to his head and hand during the rescue but was not seriously injured, according to the sheriff's office.
The woman was treated on scene and transported to a hospital, where she was listed in critical condition.
Man's body recovered from wreckage
Hours after the explosion, crews waited for debris to cool before searching the home's remains. Cadaver dogs were deployed to assist with the search, Muir said.
Shortly before noon, crews recovered a body from the wreckage. Authorities believe the body is that of a man connected to the residence, though a positive identification had not been made as of Tuesday afternoon. The sheriff's office did not release his name.
Investigation underway
The cause of the explosion remains under investigation by the Kent County Sheriff's Office, the Plainfield Fire Department, and federal agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
DTE Energy crews responded to the scene to make the area safe for investigators.
"Early this morning, our team was called to an incident at a home in Plainfield Township to help make the scene safe while local authorities investigate," a DTE Energy spokesperson told FOX 17.
Undersheriff Muir said there is no ongoing threat to the surrounding community and the incident is believed to be isolated.
Doorbell camera footage from a neighbor captured the moment of the explosion, showing a ball of light and debris spreading across the street and into nearby homes.
Sheriff's office asks for video evidence
The Kent County Sheriff's Office has asked any neighbors or residents who may have recorded video of the explosion to submit it to investigators.
"Even footage that may not seem important could help investigators piece together what happened," the sheriff's office wrote in a social media post.
Anyone with information about the explosion can contact the sheriff's office at (616) 632-6125. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through Silent Observer at (616) 774-2345.