Homeowner Donald Christopherson, of Lehigh, said the house at 2121 Bach Grove Ave., about two miles northeast of Duncombe, was unoccupied at the time of the explosion. No known injuries were reported.

Neighbor Jason Ribbens said he heard the explosion from his home about a mile away. He said he could see flames shooting up above the cornfields between his house and the explosion.

Duncombe Volunteer Fire Department Chief Todd Bingham confirmed there were no occupants in the home.

The one-and-a-half-story house was completely leveled, with debris landing 50 to 100 yards in all directions of where the home once stood.

-Messenger photo by Kelby Wingert
Firefighters work at the scene of house explosion Sunday night in rural Hamilton County.

The house was where Christopherson grew up. It was formerly the Mud Hollow School House, a few miles to the east, Christopherson said. He was a small boy when his parents had it moved to 2121 Bach Grove Ave.

While it was hard to see his childhood home gone, Christopherson said there was some small silver lining.

“Nobody got hurt, so we can be thankful for that,” he said.

Fire crews from Webster City, Duncombe, Vincent and Woolstock were on scene for about two hours while they worked to extinguish fires and hot spots in the debris of the house. Also on scene were the Webster and Hamilton County sheriff’s offices.

-Messenger photo by Kelby Wingert
Debris from an apparent home explosion in rural Hamilton County is scattered across the yard as firefighters work at the scene of a fire at 2121 Bach Grove Ave.