Cleveland Home Explodes: Person Of Interest Reportedly In Custody

CLEVELAND, OH — A person of interest is in custody in connection with a deadly house explosion in Cleveland. The home, located on the 1000 block of East 125th Street on the city's east side, blew apart over Sunday afternoon, but was apparently supposed to be empty. One woman died and a 51-year-old man was critically hurt.

Police have since taken a woman into custody, media outlets reported. Cleveland.com says she has not been charged with any crime and police Chief Michael Cardilli refused to tell the news outlet whether she is a suspect.

The Cleveland, Ohio Division of Fire tweeted that the blast happened on the city's east side near the border of East Cleveland. "Several neighboring houses" were damaged, officials tweeted. Photos and videos of the scene showed debris and splintered wood strewn across a lot where the home once stood.

Now, Dominion East Ohio tells WJW-TV the house was supposed to be vacant. The home's gas line was turned on and active, but crews did not find evidence of any leaks, the station said.

The cause of the blast remains under investigation.

This is the second home explosion in the neighborhood in as many months. The other one reportedly happened a couple blocks away.

Multiple depts. responding to house explosions on E. 125th in E. Cle. Viewer video from Kevin Davis @wkyc pic.twitter.com/lvKroVg6Wo
— Megan Gallagher (@MegtheNewsie) June 10, 2018

#CLE on scene house explosion. Incident is in East Cleveland. 1 fatality, 1 critical injury transported. Damage to several neighboring houses. pic.twitter.com/bn5uoGhekd
— ClevelandFire (@ClevelandFire) June 10, 2018

#CLE Companies on scene of house explosion. East side near E Cleveland border. Updates to follow... pic.twitter.com/9WuOTngVDt
— ClevelandFire (@ClevelandFire) June 10, 2018

Photos credit: Cleveland, Ohio Division of Fire