PHOTO BY SOREN M. PETERSON Officials on Monday afternoon examine the site of an apparent home explosion that took place earlier that morning in rural Buckingham, Tama County in the 1100 block of W Avenue.

BUCKINGHAM – A home located in the 1100 block of W Avenue east of Buckingham in Geneseo Township, Tama County apparently exploded this past Monday morning, Aug. 14.

The home was leveled with debris from the house as well as its contents blown both into and through a nearby stand of established trees. A sizable amount of debris landed in a pasture just north of the house.

According to a press release from the office of Tama County Sheriff Dennis P. Kucera issued close to 3:15 p.m. on Monday, Tama Co. Communications received multiple calls around 10:14 a.m. that morning regarding a possible house explosion at or near 1117 W Avenue, Buckingham.

Upon arrival at the scene, fire and law enforcement personnel determined that the residence was “destroyed due to an apparent explosion,” per the press release.

A body was located near the residence and was taken to the State Medical Examiner’s Office in Ankeny later in the day for examination and positive identification.

Online real estate records accessible via the Tama County Assessor’s Office indicate the residence was owner occupied; a one-story home with a basement and gas heat built in 1976.

Rural Buckingham resident Carol Boyce, who lives roughly a mile-and-a-half south as the crow flies of the apparent explosion, told the T-R the sound of the explosion was “terrifying,” a sound she heard while standing outside in her yard Monday morning.

The Tama County Sheriff’s Office was assisted in its response and investigation by the Iowa State Patrol and the Iowa State Fire Marshal’s Office.

The Dysart Fire Department initially responded to the explosion with Traer Fire and La Porte City Fire providing mutual aid.

As of publication, the cause remains under investigation.