1 hospitalized with life-threatening injuries after explosion in West Virginia city

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — One person was taken to a hospital after an explosion in a West Virginia neighborhood and nearby homes were evacuated, officials said.

The explosion happened Sunday in the Chestnut Hills community of Clarksburg and one person had injuries that were considered life-threatening, officials said in a social media post.

Due to a gas leak, all residents in a five-block radius were required to evacuate, Clarksburg police said, warning that people should avoid the area “at all costs.”

Residents of that area were not allowed to return Sunday, the Harrison County Office of Emergency Management said.