Prosecutor: 2 dead in N.J. house blast, no foul play suspected

A house exploded in New Jersey early Saturday, killing two people, but foul play is not suspected, authorities said.

The blast reduced the two-story Newfield home to a pile of rubble. It was reported at 6:15 a.m., the Gloucester County prosecutor’s office.

The blast initially was reported as a gas explosion that caused damage, such as broken windows to nearby homes, KYW-TV reported. Debris was scattered over several blocks, and pieces could be seen hanging from a nearby tree and power line. Utility workers were on the scene to shut off gas to nearby homes.

Authorities did not immediately speculate about a possible cause.

The names of the victims and other details weren’t immediately released. However, KYW quoted family members saying a couple in their 70s lived in the home.

“Just good people,” neighbor Wayne Ingling told The Philadelphia Inquirer as he stood down the street. “It shakes you up. It’s a really bad scene up there.”

The county fire marshal is investigating, along with several other agencies, including a state police arson-bomb unit, the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Franklin Township police department.