Two of the five victims in a house explosion over the weekend in Cambridge were seriously injured in the blast, which remains under investigation.
Capt. John Elder with the Isanti County Sheriff's Office said all victims were taken to local hospitals following the explosion shortly after 5:30 a.m. Saturday, but two people required more extensive care for their injuries and were later transported to North Memorial in Robbinsdale for treatment.
Elder, who recently resigned as longtime Minneapolis police spokesman, said that the names of those injured will be released this week. He didn't have any preliminary information Sunday on the suspected cause of the explosion.
The two-story house in a residential neighborhood of Cambridge is a total loss from the blast that sent debris up to a block away, Elder said. There was no damage to any other nearby homes, he added, and a large propane tank in the backyard of the home in the 33000 block of Hilary Circle NE. did not explode.
The City of Cambridge website said the area is serviced with natural gas through CenterPoint Energy. A spokesperson with the company said in an email Sunday that "while CenterPoint Energy does serve parts of the Cambridge area, we do not serve the particular neighborhood where that house is (was) located."
Calls left with the fire department were not immediately returned.
Cambridge fire and the State Fire Marshal are investigating the blast that injured four people who were found outside the residence when first responders arrived. A fifth victim was located in the basement after deputies and fire personnel were able to remove large amounts of debris to rescue them.
Kim Hyatt • 612-673-4751
