Explosion levels home in Hamilton County; no one hurt

DUNCOMBE, Iowa (AP) — An explosion has leveled a home in rural central Iowa, but the home was unoccupied at the time and no one was hurt, officials said.

The explosion happened around 9 p.m. Sunday in Hamilton County, about 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) northeast of Duncombe, the Fort Dodge Messenger reported. Debris from the explosion landed as far away as 100 yards (91.4 meters) in all directions from where the home had stood.

Jason Ribbens told the Messenger he heard the explosion from his home about a mile away and could see flames shooting up above the cornfields. The home’s owner, Donald Christopherson of Lehigh, said he had grown up in the house.

Fire officials are investigating to try to determine what caused the explosion.