Ohio family of 4 killed in home explosion, fire

NORTHFIELD CENTER, Ohio, Jan. 12 (UPI) --

Two adults and two children were killed in an explosion and fire in their home in Northfield Center Township, Ohio.

Police are investigating what was originally regarded as a natural gas explosion Monday evening in the suburban home, 25 miles from Cleveland, although representatives of Dominion Gas, the local energy company, said they did not believe a gas leak sparked the blast. The victims' identities had not yet been released, although Northfield Center Fire Chief Frank Risko referred to them as a mother, father and two daughters, ages 8 and 12.

The home was fully involved in flames when the fire department arrived, and a neighbor across the street said her own house shook from the force of the explosion. Another neighbor, Randy Nickschinski, 48, said he and his son Nate, 19, entered the burning home after kicking in the front door to rescue the residents.

It happened so fast. There was a lot of fire, a lot of debris. It was very eerie. ... we were yelling and nothing. We were just looking everywhere. You'd do the same thing if you've got kids, Nickschinski said.