1 Dead, 1 Hurt In MI House Explosion That Was Attempted Murder-Suicide: Sheriff

PLAINFIELD TOWNSHIP, MI — A man was killed and a woman was seriously injured in a house explosion that officials believe was intentionally set Tuesday morning in west Michigan.

The explosion happened at 4 a.m. Tuesday at a home in the 5700 block of Rollaway Drive in Plainfield Township, according to the Kent County Sheriff's Office.

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Officers arrived and found the house destroyed with debris from the home still on fire, officials said.

Two neighbors, an adult man and a teenage boy, pulled an injured woman from the home after the explosion, officials said.

She was taken to a nearby hospital and listed in critical condition, officials said.

"We are very proud of them for stepping up and helping someone in need during an extremely dangerous situation," officials said in a statement.

Investigators then found a man dead in the wreckage. They believe the man lived at the home, but confirmation was pending.

Officials did not release the victims names, but Undersheriff Bryan Muir told reporters investigators do believe the incident was a murder-suicide attempt.

He said investigators gathered evidence, including text messages and statements made by the woman at the scene of the explosion, leading them to believe the man set the fire intending to kill his wife and himself.

"This is an isolated incident, there's no concerns of any gas leaks or any other type of home explosions in the area," Muir said.

Investigators believe that the man intentionally created a natural gas leak in the basement, though they are unsure what led to the explosion, according to Fire Chief Jeremy Kelly.

Officials asked anyone with information about the incident to call the Kent County Sheriff's Office at (616) 632-6125 or submit a tip at (616) 774-2345.

Anyone with video of the explosion and fire can submit clips to the Sheriffs Office. Tips may also be submitted online at Silent Observer.