GATES, N.Y. — Fire officials continue to investigate a massive explosion that leveled a home in Gates Wednesday night.

They say the person who lived in the home on Noel Drive was not there at the time of the incident. Incredibly, no one was killed and no neighbors or firefighters were hurt.

Nothing remains of the house except debris and a foundation.

According to fire officials, the call came in just after 6 p.m. Initial reports described a huge fireball followed by spot fires on the property and adjacent houses.

Roughly 10 different fire companies and 120 to 150 firefighters responded. Gates Fire and Gates Command Staff say the situation was complicated by a free-flowing gas line that fed the fire. That made it more difficult to conduct searches of the main building and contain the fire.

"Apparently, the situation is a house explosion. Large debris field, large flames in the sky, to what the true cause of it is still under investigation," said Chief Brian Gebo of the Gates Fire Department.

"This is something you see on TV, you know. You don't see it here in a community like ours. So I'm grateful there were no fatalities and nobody was in the house and nobody was hurt," said Town Supervisor Cosmo Giunta.

As the fire was burning, neighbors came out to take a look — and to evacuate to safety.

Home surveillance cameras nearby caught the moment of the explosion. They show the sky lighting up and then a massive fireball. Other home cameras caught the explosion and the cloud of smoke from different angles.

Neighbors say smoke filled the air and the streets. Dozens came by the nearby Wegman Road Park throughout the evening to take a look at the scene. One family was brought to tears by the sight.

The house that was destroyed was their grandparents’ home until 10 years ago. It's where they spent nearly every weekend growing up as children. 

The family says they had hoped to bring the house back into the family one day soon. They're heartbroken that will never happen now.

"What's going through my mind is complete disappointment, confusion, aggravation. I want to know what happened, why it happened, and what's being done about it," said Dominic Delvecchil.

"At a loss for words, but we are thankful that so far we know that no one got hurt in the surrounding areas," said Jessica Delvecchil.

The two adjacent homes did sustain damage, with one garage being destroyed.

People in the two homes next door were displaced overnight.

Gates Fire District House Explosion Noel Drive 12-9-2020 by Adam Penale on Scribd

 

 

 

Spectrum News crews are following this developing story that will be updated as more information becomes available.