Firefighters stand outside a Manhattan Township home that was destroyed in an explosion Thursday morning. A resident escaped injury. | Joe Meier ~ Sun-Times Media

Firefighters begin the investigation at the scene of a house explosion on Redstone Drive in Manhattan, Illinois, Thursday, July 19, 2012. | Joseph P. Meier~Sun-Times Media

Firefighters extend the ladder truck at the scene of a house explosion on Redstone Drive in Manhattan, Illinois, Thursday, July 19, 2012. | Joseph P. Meier~Sun-Times Media

Firefighters sift through the rubble to get at the hot spots at the scene of a house explosion on Redstone Drive in Manhattan, Illinois, Thursday, July 19, 2012. | Joseph P. Meier~Sun-Times Media

Dawn Spataro photographs the rubble that was here brother Keith Chaffin's home after it exploded on Redstone Drive in Manhattan, Illinois, Thursday, July 19, 2012. | Joseph P. Meier~Sun-Times Media

House explosion on Redstone Drive in Manhattan, Illinois, Thursday, July 19, 2012. A woman and a dog were home at the time of the explosion, but did not appear to be injured according to witnesses. | Joseph P. Meier~Sun-Times Media

Dawn Spataro asks firefighters if she can photograph the rubble that was here brother Keith Chaffin's home after it exploded on Redstone Drive in Manhattan, Illinois, Thursday, July 19, 2012. | Joseph P. Meier~Sun-Times Media

Firefighters work the scene of a house explosion on Redstone Drive in Manhattan, Illinois, Thursday, July 19, 2012. A woman and a dog were home at the time of the explosion, but did not appear to be injured according to witnesses. | Joseph P. Meier~Sun-Times Media

Firefighters work the scene of a house explosion on Redstone Drive in Manhattan, Illinois, Thursday, July 19, 2012. A woman and a dog were home at the time of the explosion, but did not appear to be injured according to witnesses. | Joseph P. Meier~Sun-Times Media

With firefighters still hosing down hot spots in background Bob Rust from Rust Brother Services kids with coworkers after they helped rescue a woman from the house explosion on Redstone Drive in Manhattan, Illinois, Thursday, July 19, 2012. The crew was performing landscape maintenance to the house next door when the house exploded. | Joseph P. Meier~Sun-Times Media

A portion of the front facade of the house is all that remains at the scene of a house explosion on Redstone Drive in Manhattan, Illinois, Thursday, July 19, 2012. A woman and a dog were home at the time of the explosion, but did not appear to be injured according to witnesses. | Joseph P. Meier~Sun-Times Media

A portion of the front facade of the house is all that remains at the scene of a house explosion on Redstone Drive in Manhattan, Illinois, Thursday, July 19, 2012. A woman and a dog were home at the time of the explosion, but did not appear to be injured according to witnesses. | Joseph P. Meier~Sun-Times Media

With smoke still clouding the air Dan Michalak continues to work cutting grass next door after he and a coworker helped pull a woman from the house explosion on Redstone Drive in Manhattan, Illinois, Thursday, July 19, 2012. | Joseph P. Meier~Sun-Times Media