(Springfield, MO) -- Utility crews will be back out in a west Springfield neighborhood today, following a massive explosion that destroyed one home and damaged several others so badly they can no longer be lived in.

And property owners are now getting their first look at the damage to their homes.  KOLR10's Jessica Williams is out live this morning in the 2500 block of West Chestnut Street to update us.

The blast happened shortly before 4:00 pm Thursday, and city officials have now confirmed the cause was a natural gas gas leak.

In the light of day, you can see how bad the damage is.  There is nothing left of the home where the explosion occurred.  There is still a smell of gas and burned wood hanging over this neighborhood this morning.   Several other homes were heavily damaged.

To really get a first hand account of what happened here, I have one of the neighbors whose home is directly across the street from the blast site.  Debbie Weaver's home is no longer inhabitable.  Debbie, thanks for talking with us.  What can you tell me about what happened yesterday?

"My husband called and said the house across the street had exploded, that he was okay," Weaver recalls. "I couldn't get to him.  When I parked over here, someone coming up the street said the new house had exploded too and that's how I knew my house was gone."

Jessica - Explain to me what your house looks like inside.
"We got to go in last night and just get a few belongings to go to a hotel. The ceiling in the kitchen is just hanging there. There's a big crack across the front room," Weaver describes. "Every picture on the wall are down. It looks like a tornado went right through the middle of it.  There's nothing left. The windows on the front are all blown out."

Jessica - What are they telling you about when you can go back in?
"They're not telling us yet.  We have to call a phone number that's on the front of the garage so we can find out what we can do. We don't know yet, but the house is not livable.  We're just happy to be alive," says Weaver.

At least five homes are uninhabitable. Police say the explosion was so strong it knocked homes off their foundations.  A number of other homes still have not power or other utilities.  Those were shut-off by CU soon after the explosion for safety reasons.  A short time ago, electric power crews did arrive in the neighborhood.
We know of at least 12 people whose homes were affected.  Three children, who were in a vehicle across the street from the house that exploded, were taken to the hospital by family, complaining of neck pain and ringing in their ears.  But it is remarkable there were no more serious injuries.