A row house in Philadelphia collapsed early Monday and as many as eight people have been injured, authorities said.
Police said an explosion was reported shortly after 11 a.m. in the 400 block of Daly Street in South Philadelphia. The injured residents, including a child struck by flying glass, were taken to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, MyFoxPhilly.com reports.
The surrounding blocks near the explosion have been evacuated and emergency crews have responded to the scene. A command center has been established at 4th and Wolf streets.
Officials were reportedly investigating whether a gas leak is to blame for the apparent explosion. Authorities said later Monday that a search had been completed and no one was unaccounted for. Displaced residents were taken to a nearby school, which was being used as a temporary shelter.
"I was in the shower and I thought my house was about to fall down," said Christie Scibblo, a 26-year-old mother of four who lives four houses down from the collapsed home. "I ran outside and I saw a firefighter rescuing an infant."
Daniel Killian, 19, who lives across the narrow street from the house that collapsed, said he smelled gas shortly before the collapse.
Joseph Szymborski, 33, was jolted from his bed when he heard what sounded like an explosion and ran outside to find "the house was in the street."
He ran down the street and said he helped neighbors and rescuers look through the rubble, though he was worried about the remains of the damaged buildings falling on him.
"It's situations like this, you just come together as a neighborhood," he said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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