Flint explosion: Three missing after home blast felt five miles away

Several people have been injured, with fatalities reported

Fire crews try to extinguish flames from a house explosion in Flint, Michigan (Fox 66)

Three people are missing after a home explosion in Flint, Michigan that was felt as far as five miles away.

According to local emergency services, there appear to have been fatalities, with two people hospitalized. Three homes near the site of the explosion were also damaged.

The cause of the explosion is still under investigation. A Facebook live stream of the scene showed flames and billowing smoke, which were brought under control by fire crews by late Monday night.

Footage and images of the explosion and its aftermath have been spreading on Twitter, including doorbell camera footage from a nearby home showing a blinding explosion.

Several shelters have been set up for area residents evacuated while the cause is investigated. According to Consumers Energy, which supplies gas and electricity to millions of Michigan residents, energy supplies have been shut off from several damaged homes.

Sniffer dogs have also been seen searching for people potentially trapped at the scene.