NEW.BRUNSWICK (CBC) - A fire raged through and destroyed a house in Fredericton's Queen's Square area Monday after an explosion in the building shattered the windows of a neighbouring home.

The blaze broke out in the white, two-storey house near Regent and Scully Streets around 11:30 a.m. Monday, shortly after a blast rocked the home and was reportedly felt at the York Street fire station two blocks away.

"The glass is all over the floor - you never heard such a bang," said 74-year-old Geraldine Stairs, who lives next door and was at home with her husband, who is blind. "The side of her house blew right out."

Stairs was ushered out of her home by a man who heard the explosion from nearby and began checking on the occupants of houses in the vicinity.

No one was in the burning home at the time of the explosion. The residents were in Florida and weren't expected back for another month.

Despite the efforts of firefighters to stem the ensuing flames, the house was destroyed within half an hour.

Divisional Fire Chief Paul Fleming said it's too soon to pinpoint a cause of the fire.

However, he said investigators believe the house did have a natural gas fireplace and a gas leak might have triggered the explosion.

Gas lines to the home were shut down early Monday afternoon.

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