Amherst, NH Lake House Destroyed By Explosion

AMHERST, N.H. (CBS) -- A house in Amherst, New Hampshire was destroyed in an explosion Friday morning. The Clark Avenue home sat right on the water of Baboosic Lake.

An explosion at the house was first reported at around 9:20 a.m. According to Amherst Fire Chief Matthew Conley, the home was not occupied at the time. He added that the lake house was a cottage that was being turned into a larger home.

"It was pretty much getting down to the final stages of it and to do a walk through," said Conley.

Firefighters used water from the lake to put out the fire.

Conley said he was only aware of one minor injury, saying it is believed to be someone who was working on the home. That person had burns on one of their arms.

Witness Matthew Benoit was across the street working on a rooftop deck when he saw the explosion.

"All the sudden out of nowhere there's a big explosion. The whole front of the house was blown out," said Benoit. "That fire got so hot so fast, I could feel it over here."

As the fire was being put out, burned debris covered the entire property and smoke could be seen coming from charred planks.

"It's horrifying to think that somebody could have died in that," said neighbor Fran Salamone, who drove from Boston after hearing about the explosion. "It's all I kept saying on the way up here, 'I hope nobody got hurt.'"

Salamone added that she is devastated for the family.

"My heart is completely broken for them. Really the nicest people in the world," she said.

Fire Chief Conley says the home does have a propane tank, but the exact cause of the explosion is still unknown.