Deadly Orion Township house explosion: 'It's a real mystery'

ORION TOWNSHIP, Mich. – It's still unclear what caused a massive explosion Wednesday night which killed two people and left a home completely destroyed in Orion Township. 

Firefighters found a devastating fire and realized the home would not be saved. 

VIDEO: Orion Township house explosion aftermath

'When we got here it was chaos, obviously," said Orion Township Supervisor Chris Barnett. "You could barely tell there was a house there. Basically it was completely leveled."

Firefighters met by 50-foot flames

The explosion and fire killed a 65-year-old man and his 57-year-old wife. Firefighters were called to the home about 8:30 p.m. Wednesday in the 400 block of Coats Road. They were met by 50-foot flames. All that was left were piles of debris and the couple's 29-year-old daughter who made it out of the house safely. 

"It's my understand she is doing OK. She was able to get out before the home exploded and we're hearing some other details, but I can't share all of them at this point," said Barnett. 

The Oakland County Sheriff's Office said the man and woman were trapped in the home. The were found in the debris by firefighters. Autopsies will be performed to determine a cause of death for both victims. 

'It's a real mystery'

Daylight Thursday morning revealed a better look at the aftermath. Investigators are trying to figure out what would have caused something like this if it was not natural gas-related. 

"They don't have natural gas here. They've got a propane tank," said Orion Township Fire Chief Bob Smith. "The propane tank, when we went to shut it off, it was already off. So right now it's a real mystery of what's going on."

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