Royal Oak House Explosion Felt in Birmingham

Birmingham residents heard — and felt — the house explosion in Royal Oak Wednesday afternoon, noting "it sounded like a howitzer."

One man is confirmed dead after a house exploded on Cooper Road, located near Normandy and Woodward in Royal Oak, around 5 p.m. Wednesday.

As of Wednesday evening, police were not sure whether the man who died was in the home at the time or simply near the blast, according to Royal Oak Patch.

Following the explosion, windows were blasted out in nearby buildings and homes. Firefighters from Royal Oak and Birmingham continued to battle bright orange flames into the early evening while news helicopters hovered and police tried to keep the crowds at bay.

"All our neighbors were outside wondering what was going on," Sandy Wood commented on Birmingham Patch. "When everybody said they thought a tree had hit their home, we knew it was something big."

"We Brummies are thinking of our Royal Oak neighbors, and wish them the best," he added.

In Birmingham, the explosion was immediately heard and felt all over town. Residents took to Facebook and Twitter to register their shock and surprise:

• @emilyminor2: "There was a loud explosion sound around the AOL offices a few mins ago. Woodward/Adams area."
• Cathryn Brooks: "I heard at Adams at the Plant Station, thought it was a bomb."
• @phijammer61: "We heard it 16 and Adams. Sounded like a howitzer."
• Linda Everingham Taylor: "We felt and heard it at 14 Mile and Woodward."
• Carolyn Burger: "What just happened — my whole house shook, as did my neighbors. It sounded like a huge explosion. We are on Villa."

To read more, visit Royal Oak Explosion: Residents See 'Roof Blown Off in the Sky' at Royal Oak Patch.

Did you hear or feel the explosion on Wednesday? Let us know what you thought when you first heard the explosion in the comments below.

Correction: An earlier version of this story said the explosion happened on Tuesday. That was a typo since it happened on Wednesday.