A house on West Elm Street in the City of Oneida was destroyed early Saturday morning by an explosion caused by a stolen vehicle crashing into the home.
There were no injuries to homeowners, neighbors or emergency crews. Oneida Mayor Helen Acker posted on Facebook “there were no fatalities.” Police say the crash, which happened around 3:00am, severed the gas line into the house. Six homes were subsequently evacuated, police tell NewsChannel 9. After nearly three hours of leaking gas, the home exploded. It forced first responders to hide behind fire trucks to dodge flying debris.
Oneida Police tell NewsChannel 9 that the vehicle that crashed into the home was stolen by a juvenile. There is also extensive damage to surrounding buildings. All utilities have been secured and there is no danger to the public.