Mom Says She Fears Son Died in Minnesota House Explosion That Killed 1: 'There's Nothing Left'

"You always have that glimmer of hope that maybe he went off on a walk or maybe went with a friend," mom Ester Richards said

A Minnesota mother believes her son was killed when their house exploded on Thursday morning.

"The house is gone. All your personal items are gone ... there's nothing left," homeowner Ester Richards told CBS affiliate WCCO in an interview.

The South Metro Fire Department and the South St. Paul Police Department responded around 6:20 a.m. local time to the home at 1221 9th Ave. South in South St. Paul, police said Thursday in a Facebook post. The house had "significant structural damage" and was "fully engulfed in flames."

"As the South Metro Fire Department worked to extinguish the fire, one person was located inside deceased," the department added. An investigation into the cause of the blast is ongoing.

Related: 3 Dead, 1 Injured After Explosion at Ohio Auto Shop: 'It Was Pandemonium'

While the victim has not been identified, Richards told WCCO that she believes it was her son, whom she shared the home with.

The mom said she was staying with a friend after she said they needed a break from each other, per WCCO. She said that she has not heard from her son since Wednesday.

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Richards said sh's trying to remain optimistic. "You always have that glimmer of hope that maybe he went off on a walk or maybe went with a friend," Richards told the station.

Police said that "an autopsy to determine the exact cause and manner of death, including identification of the deceased will be conducted."

Related: At Least 15 Injured After Gas Explosion Causes Building Collapse in New York

Meanwhile, neighbor Ed Withuski told Fox affiliate KMSP-TV he was drinking his coffee when he "heard that boom" and then sirens.

"I looked out the window and huge flames shooting out, probably about 30 to 40 feet," Withuski said. "You could tell that it had to be a house that was on fire, it was pretty big, big fire they had going there."

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