Condemned Home Explodes In Salem, NH After Officers Respond

SALEM, NH (CBS) – Investigators will enter a condemned New Hampshire house Tuesday morning to check for a victim after a fiery explosion Monday evening.

Salem Police were called to the condemned Irving Street house for a dispute between neighbors and the former occupant.

When officers approached the home, they heard a hissing noise and smelled gas. When they began to back away, there was a loud explosion that blew the windows out and a portion of the roof off of the house. There were no injuries to any of the officers involved.

Video from SkyEye shows the home was engulfed in flames. Salem firefighters responded and evacuated nearby homes as a precaution as they battled the blaze.

Police say it is unclear if there was anybody inside the home at the time of the explosion, but a vehicle registered to the former occupant was in the driveway.

"It is our opinion that if there was someone inside that house, they are deceased," Fire Chief Paul Parisi said.

Witnesses say they heard ammunition going off while the home burned, but officers say there were no shots fired during the incident.

Officers from the Southern New Hampshire Special Operations Unit also responded to the scene.

Any witnesses to the explosion are asked to 603-893-1911.