Fire breaks out after explosion in NDG home
Arson squad investigating blast in west end residence
A home in Montreal's west end burst into flames after an explosion in the residence Wednesday.
The explosion and fire happened on MacMahon Avenue near Somerled Avenue around 11 a.m. in western Notre-Dame-de-Grâce.
Police say one person was inside the home at the time of the explosion, and that they managed to get out safely.
Montreal fire department Chief Patrick Fournel said that person was treated by paramedics at the scene. He refused to be transported to hospital.
There was nobody else inside the single-family home and there was no need to evacuate the neighbouring buildings, Fournel said.
Video captured at the scene shows flames shooting out of the building, engulfing the two-story structure and sending a cascade of thick black smoke into the sky.
Peter Keller was pulling his car into his driveway on MacMahon when he felt the blast.
"All of a sudden I heard this huge explosion," he said, and then flames began shooting out of the house.
"It became pretty intense."
He said he's relieved that the flames did not spread to neighbouring homes.
The Montreal police arson squad has taken over the investigation after the fire department could not immediately determine the cause of the blast.
