Blast levels building

FITCHBURG, Mass. (WHDH) - An explosion at an auto parts shop in Fitchburg, Massachusetts rocked neighboring homes and businesses Tuesday evening.

The explosion happened just after 5 p.m. Tuesday.

"We were standing there talking and all of a sudden we heard a big boom," said store owner John Tate.

Tate was behind the counter helping out a customer when part of the store exploded.

"And that's when the ceiling started falling down on us and that's when we ran out through the front door. The front door had already been blown out, so we just walked out," Tate said.

The explosion blew the windows out of the house behind the store. The Red Cross is finding those residents a warm place to stay.

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