MISSISSAUGA, Ont. -- One person has died in an explosion that levelled one home and damaged at least two dozen others in Mississauga, Ont., west of Toronto.
A Peel paramedic spokesman said Tuesday night that a woman died at the scene and about a dozen other people were treated for minor injuries.
He said none of the injured had to be taken to hospital.
Pictures of the scene show heavy damage to nearby homes and debris spread over a wide area.
Police officers set up a large perimeter around the destroyed home and went door-to-door evacuating nearby residences.
Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie said between 50 and 100 people had been evacuated and a reception centre was being set up at a nearby recreation centre.
"We're going to encourage all those residents to move into the Burnhamthorpe Community Centre," Crombie said. "It'll be the safest, most comfortable place for them, get them off the street."
Crombie also said they would be out of their homes for an "undetermined amount of time."
"I'm praying to God tonight that everyone was safely at work when this occurred but we don't have any information just yet," she said.
Mississauga Fire Chief Tim Beckett told a news conference Tuesday evening that one house was severely damaged due to an explosion, but it was too early to know what caused the blast.
"We have approximately 24 other homes in the area that have damage that ranges from very light damage to extreme damage," Beckett said.
He said crews were working to stabilize the scene before they could begin investigating.
"We have a large debris field in the area ... we've totally lost one home so you can just imagine," Beckett said, noting that it was too early to say what caused the blast.
