Blast levels Cleveland house, 1 person hurt

CLEVELAND (AP) — An explosion and fire has destroyed one house and damaged five others in Cleveland’s historic Tremont neighborhood just south of downtown.

A woman who jumped from a second-floor balcony in the duplex home was taken to a hospital. Her name and condition have not been released. A couple and their three sons living on the first floor of the building got out safely after the blast, which occurred before 3:30 a.m. today.

Kenneth Diaz, 31, says he grabbed his wife and the children and they ran out the front door. Diaz says he was scared and thought the world might end.

He says he thought he smelled gas Monday evening but looked around the house and found nothing amiss.