Body found in Crescent Heights home at centre of explosion, fire

By Medicine Hat News on July 20, 2017.

Submitted Photo Jason Nelson Medicine Hat firefighters survey the scene after a house on Hudson Way N.E. was completely destoryed by fire on Wednesday morning, and the two neighbouring houses suffered significant damage.

UPDATE: Police say the explosion and fire are not criminal in nature. Read the full story here

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Emergency officials have discovered human remains in a house rocked by an explosion Wednesday morning in Crescent Heights.

Medicine Hat Fire Service, EMS and Medicine Hat Police Service responded to the area of Hudson Way N.E. following a report of an explosion and fire at a residence. The resulting fire destroyed one home and caused extensive damage to two neighboring properties.

Fire officials had cleared the two neighbouring houses earlier on Wednesday, but had to wait for a structural engineering assessment on the remaining home before conducting a search of the premises.

Once the home where the explosion originated was deemed safe for examination, members of the MHPS Major Crimes Section worked with investigators from the Fire Services in an attempt to determine the cause of the explosion. The subsequent search revealed human remains located within the residence.

An autopsy will be performed today by the medical examiner’s office in Calgary to determine the identity of the victim and cause of death.