2 dead after house explodes, engulfed by flames in Maryland

TANEYTOWN, Md. – Authorities say two bodies have been found in the rubble of a Maryland house that exploded and caught fire.

The Office of the State Fire Marshal says in a statement that a neighbour reported hearing an explosion about 5 a.m. Friday at the home in Taneytown (TAW-nee-town), near the Pennsylvania line. When firefighters arrived, the two-story house was engulfed in flames

The statement says the fire was put out and the remains, presumably of the home’s two elderly occupants, were recovered. But the identities weren’t immediately confirmed and authorities say the cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Authorities say hoarding conditions hampered investigators’ access to what was left of the home. Excavating equipment was brought in to remove large quantities of fire debris so the investigation could continue.