Explosion heard before fire started at Elkhart house

An Elkhart home caught fire Tuesday morning, but neighbors say they heard an explosion beforehand.

The fire broke out at a home on the 3200 block of Neff Street, near the intersection of East Bristol St. and Jeanwood Dr., at about 8:45 a.m. Tuesday. Neighbors tell the Elkhart Truth that they saw glass and insulation flying in the air, along with their homes being shaken during the blast.

Firefighters say the back of the house suffered heavy damage from the explosion, which also caused significant damage to the foundation. Front windows and walls were damaged.

The owners of the home weren’t there at the time. They had just left, and one of them told the Elkhart Truth he didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary when he left just a few minutes before the blast.

A dog and cat were inside the house at the time. They both survived, with the dog receiving oxygen afterwards.

It’s not immediately known what caused the blast and ensuing fire.