Two dead in Ohio house explosion caught on Ring camera

The authorities are investigating a housing explosion in Bethel, Ohio, killing two people. The fatal incident was captured by a neighbor’s doorbell camera in Tate Township.

A press release shared by the Bethel-Tate Fire Department said first responders were dispatched to Vic Joy Drive just before 9am on Tuesday, November 19 for “a structure fire” with “possible entrapment.”

Once units were on their way, they were told it could have been an explosion.

“The first units on scene confirmed that there was a large debris field throughout the neighborhood and that there was heavy fire in the home,” the news release said.

Crews eventually extinguished the flames, according to the department. However, authorities confirmed that two deceased victims had been found among the rubble. “A third victim was able to escape safely and was transported to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center with burns,” the release said.

The fire department said there were no additional details about the survivor’s condition at the time and extended condolences to the deceased’s loved ones.

Residents shared their experiences with local news media, such as Derrick Gullett, who narrated it WCPO that the explosion woke him up abruptly.

“Around 9 o’clock I was sleeping and woke up to a huge explosion,” the neighbor said. “I fell out of bed, came outside and saw a gentleman running from the residence who was currently working in the residence. It’s shocking. His hair was still on fire when he was gone.”

Never miss a story – sign up PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up to date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Gullett said the unidentified employee told him he was working on a furnace in his home when it “suddenly blew up and exploded.” He added that the couple who lived there were nice people, with several cats.

Cooper estimated that about 30 cats were found dead at the scene, the news station reported.

The State Fire Marshal’s office is conducting an ongoing investigation into the cause of the explosion, the fire department said in its news release.