Home explodes in Marlborough

By Katherine Landergan, Globe Correspondent

A house exploded in Marlborough early Sunday morning, sending one man to the hospital, Marlborough fire officials said in a statement.

Firefighters responded at approximately 1 a.m. to a house explosion at 15 Grant Court, the statement said. At the scene, firefighters found a portion of the house on fire and the walls blown out.

Jennifer Mieth, spokeswoman for the State Fire Marshal, said the cause was a natural gas explosion in the home. The man was seriously injured, she said, but he is expected to live.

Scott Young, 33, who lives nearby, said the explosion elicited a loud bang, which woke the entire neighborhood.

“It was just unbelievable -- a pile of rubble and flames,” he said.

Neighbors left their homes upon hearing the explosion, Young said. He and others urged people to clear the street, for fear of another explosion.

“The whole neighborhood was in complete disarray all night,” he said.

Young said he did not see the man who was injured in the explosion.

“I don’t know if he’s OK,” Young said. “I have no clue.”

The man was in the house at the time of the explosion, but he was outside when firefighters arrived, according to the statement from the fire department. He was taken to UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester.

Authorities left the scene at approximately 4:30 a.m., according to the statement.

The cause of the explosion is being investigated by the Marlborough Fire Investigations Unit and the State Fire Marshal. Fire officials said they expect to determine the cause within the next few days.

“The place was literally gone,” Young said. “It was quite freaky.”