OWEN COUNTY — Officials confirm that one person was killed in a massive home explosion in Owen County.

Crews responded to the explosion on Wednesday afternoon around 12:30 p.m.

Dispatchers with the Owen County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that a house exploded on County Line Road, just north of Newport Road. That’s close to Rolling Meadow Golf Course.

“I thought we were getting bombed, that’s what I thought, as I got closer to my house, I thought it was my house, but it wasn’t,” said Michael Cook who lives a few houses from the explosion.

Investigators have yet to identify the victim inside the house. Residents say an older man lived in the home by himself.

One neighbor tells 24-Hour News 8, he hasn’t seen the homeowner since the explosion, but did state the man’s charred pickup truck sat near the scene.

“I was home this afternoon and it literally sounded like a bomb had gone off. It shook the whole house, it rattled windows, it was crazy. I thought it was an earthquake at first,” neighbor Amanda Hottinger said.

The Owen County Sheriff Department says the Indiana State Fire Marshal will now lead the investigation.

“This is out of the blue for us today, it is a sad day for us and things happen we are extremely thankful,” said Owen County Sheriff Sam Hobbs.

Source: WISH