Woman killed, man hurt in Kitchener house explosion (10 photos)

Waterloo Regional Police say a woman has been killed in a explosion/fire at a home on Sprucedale Crescent  in Kitchener.

Police also say one man has been airlifted to hospital.

Ornge originally told 570 NEWS ten people were in the home at the time, but police say that information is false.

The Kitchener Fire Department says over 30 firefighters are currently dealing with three fires related to the explosion.

At this point, police are not calling it a criminal investigation.

“We haven't been able to get to the scene for obvious reasons, it's still unsafe to do so, and the coroner hasn't yet arrived at scene … At this point it is simply an investigation, and we're … somewhat hampered by the fact that we actually can't get to the scene to do the investigation, other than peripheral at this point.” said Waterloo Regional Police Deputy Chief, Kevin Chaulk.

The call came in just after 8 a.m. on Wednesday.

Residents reported hearing an explosion first.

“I was sleeping. When I woke up, my painting beside my bed was swinging, and I woke up to a loud noise, my house shook,” Aiden Greenhalgh told 570 NEWS.

Greenhalgh who lives across from the scene, says he ran outside, where people were already calling 911. 

He grabbed his dog, phone, called his family, and walked away just to be safe.

“And all of a sudden the house just shook,” Annette Wray told 570 NEWS.

Wray lives in the area, and was sitting inside her home having tea with her son when the explosion/fire happened.

They thought someone had slammed a door upstairs or may be a tree had fallen on their house.

“And then a few minutes later I went up to my bedroom and I looked out the window and could see a massive plume of smoke.” said Wray.

Police are asking motorists to avoid the area.

They also say that gas, water and power in that area will be shut off for a lengthy amount of time, but say there is no threat to utilities in that neighbourhood.

with files from Casey MacDonald and Blair Adams.