The people in the home were in the process of installing a new water heater, and the gas had not been properly turned off, according to Louise Whall, a spokeswoman for the City of Springfield.

No one was home and no one is injured. Homeowner Lee Brown said he and his roommate had gone out to get something to eat. He said the loss of their home is heartbreaking and devastating.

At least eight nearby homes are damaged. Their windows and doors are blown in. One man said the vehicle in his garage kept his garage door from hitting him when it was blown inward.

Because power and gas service was shut off to the neighborhood, people in the neighborhood were not able to stay in their homes, and may not be able to do so for several days. Law officers let the residents back in briefly on Thursday night to get some things from their homes.

The manager of Candlewood Suites hotel, 1035 E. Republic Road, offered people a place to stay. For information, call the hotel at (417) 881-8500. The American Red Cross Greater Ozarks Disaster Services chapter may also be helping people find places to stay. Its number is (417) 832-9500.

Crews for City Utilities of Springfield rushed to the scene to shut off the natural gas to the area, along with firefighters and police officers. The smell of natural gas was in the air immediately after the explosion.

A witness who lives nearby said immediately after the explosion that he could see the tail of a small plane sticking out of the wreckage of the home. That turned out not to be true.