A house explosion in Oneonta killed one person and damaged on Saturday evening, drawing a response from fire departments across southern Otsego County in upstate New York.

“This evening, a house explosion occurred in Otsego County, and tragically one fatality has been confirmed,” said Gov. Kathy Hochul in a post to X.

Hochul added that before the explosion, the local utility company, NYSEG, was on site responding to reports of a gas odor.

The explosion occurred on Richards Ave. in Oneonta, around 5:30 p.m., according to local fire department. The neighborhood is made up of single-family houses spaced apart by green lawns.

The Otsego County Sheriff’s Office was still asking residents to avoid the area, with reports of an active blaze as of 8 p.m., reported WBNG.

The cause of the fire remained under investigation on Saturday night, and the identity of the victim has not yet been disclosed.

Oneonta is about 165 miles northwest of Manhattan.