4 dead, 2 in critical condition after Michigan house explosion

Four people are dead and two are in critical condition in Michigan after a home was destroyed Saturday in an explosion, authorities say.

A wide swath of ground surrounding the home's hollowed-out basement was covered with splintered wood debris Saturday, aerial footage shows. The charred husk of a car could also be seen near where the outside walls of the home once stood in Whitmore Lake, a rural community about 12 miles north of Ann Arbor.

The deadly incident occurred around 4 p.m. Saturday when the sounds of the explosion were heard nine miles away, police said. Debris from the blast spread to a nearby highway, leading a resident to report the blast to authorities.

Three people who died were found at the scene of the explosion. Of the three others who were hospitalized, one died and two were in critical condition at a hospital, according to an update Sunday from Northfield Township police.

Police have not named the four people killed and two injured in the blast.

The cause of the explosion remains under investigation, police said.

Michigan State police also responded to the incident, and fire and hazardous materials crews were also expected to secure the scene.

Neighboring homes were not damaged, Northfield Township Police Lt. David Powell said Saturday.

Contributing: Kylie Martin, Detroit Free Press; Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Whitmore Lake Michigan house explosion kills 4, injures 2 victims