House explosion in Missouri injures 6 people, 3 critically

A house exploded early Saturday in Missouri’s capital city, injuring six people, including three critically, fire officials said.

The explosion happened at 2:44 a.m., according to a statement from the Jefferson City Fire Department. The cause of the explosion is under investigation.

There were six people inside the home at the time of the explosion. When emergency responders arrived, they found all the victims among the rubble.

The house was so damaged that it took more than three hours for the fire department’s Special Operations Rescue Team to reach all the victims in the debris, the statement said.

“The team had to carefully tunnel through layers of debris to reach the final occupant, who required intensive extraction,” the fire department said.

Three of the home’s occupants were listed in critical condition and three were in stable condition. Two pets were also rescued from the home and are now in the care of animal control, the department said.