The explosion destroyed a home at 2550 W. Chestnut St., at its intersection with Brown Avenue. Investigators say natural gas leaked during the replacement of a water heater at the home. Something ignited it while the homeowners were away.

This is what remains of the destroyed home belonging to Deborah Green and Lee Brown. Green lived in the home for 37 years and Brown lived there for 13 years. (photo by David Catanese)

City officials released the update on the damaged homes at a news conference on Friday afternoon. At the same news conference, Police Chief Lynn Rowe asked people who don't live in the neighborhood or have business there to stay away, to cut down on the possibility of vandalism and thefts, and to not hamper the repairs and cleanup.

Earlier in the day, families from the damaged homes wre trying to find out when or if they'll be able to move back into their homes. The damage is pretty wide spread. One house that is a half block away from the explosion had all the vents from its crawl space blown out. In the back of the house the screen door is blown out and the door to the inside doesn't even open anymore.

In the garage, nails popping out of the drywall and a big crack in the ceiling are all signs of damage. Inside the house, the ceiling fixture in the kitchen was knocked down at the time of the explosion. Nails also popping out of the drywall inside the house. And the door that doesn't open to the back yard anymore, well the reason why is because it's jammed shut. You can't get the lock unlocked.

"It runs the gamut from fairly minor to pretty significant obviously, depending on how far away from the explosion that you go. Typical type of explosion, damage, the concussion so to say, the air blast goes through, lifts up roofs and moves walls, things like that," said Nick Heatherly, director of the Springfield Building Development department.