ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) - Investigators are trying to zero in on a cause of an explosion in North St. Louis County that destroyed five homes and forced multiple families from their homes Monday.

Chief of the Black Jack Fire Protection District Paul Peebles told First Alert 4 that over 20 homes were damaged and five were on fire when they arrived just after 9:15 a.m. Three of them were entirely destroyed.

All of the homes that were impacted are now without power and gas.

Chief Peebles says they couldn’t send crews inside the homes. Instead, they had to Cadaver dogs search through the rubble.

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