House explodes in Southern California, injuring 8 people and damaging nearby homes

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CHINO HILLS, Calif. (AP) — Authorities were investigating on Monday after eight people were injured in an explosion that destroyed one house and damaged two others in a Southern California neighborhood.

Emergency crews responded around 3:45 p.m. Sunday following the blast in suburban Chino Hills, a city of 78,000 residents about 35 miles (56 kilometers) southeast of Los Angeles.

“Firefighters found major damage to the reported house and minor damage to surrounding homes,” the Chino Valley Fire District said in a statement. Photos and video from the scene showed one house reduced to a pile of rubble.

Four people from the destroyed home were transported to a hospital, and four others brought themselves, the fire district said. Their conditions were not immediately known, but the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department said it appeared none were life-threatening.

Witnesses told KABC-TV that they saw people running from the explosion, including children crying for help.

Fire officials did not say what caused the blast, but said a gas leak had been stopped by late Sunday. Sixteen surrounding homes were briefly evacuated.

The Southern California Gas Company was working “to assess any damage to natural gas infrastructure and make related conditions safe to ensure the safety of the neighborhood and first responders,” utility spokesperson Aaron Ortiz said in a statement.