Horror as body is found in the basement of Nebraska home as it EXPLODES and ignites neighboring properties after owner 'tampered with natural gas system'

The body of a man who intentionally tampered with the natural gas system in his home has been recovered, after his actions caused an explosion that destroyed the home, officials said.

The Nebraska State Fire Marshal Agency made the determination Sunday, after a probe into the Saturday blast. Officials confirmed it killed the still-unnamed man, totaled his house, and damaged several surrounding homes and businesses.

The sate government office said it 'discovered evidence of tampering with the natural gas system in the residence,' and confirmed the cause to be an act of arson.

The man's body was recovered from the basement of the residence that evening, after first-responders were filmed frantically trying to put out the fire that claimed his life.

As of writing, fire officials' investigation into the incident at the home on 107 E. Eleventh Street is officially finished, officials confirmed to DailyMail.com. A neighbor, however, said the unnamed man said to be responsible was not 'mentally well'. His motive, as of writing, remains unknown.

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Investigators determined the cause of the explosion and fire at 107 E. Eleventh Street to be an act of arson, the agency said

The man's body was recovered from the basement of the two-bedroom rental Saturday evening, hours after the home when up in smoke

'He didn't seem mentally well,' recalled Deanna Hammond of what a neighbor told her the morning of the explosion, after apparently speaking with the man at 107 E. Eleventh.

'They called the police to let them know, and suggested that we leave because they smelled gas,' the woman continued, speaking to The Grand Island Independent.

'And (the unwell man) had a lighter in his hand.' 

Recalling how the sight spurred her to quickly wake up her young son and flee the residence, the next-door neighbor said she walked the child and family dog to a nearby Dollar General to 'kill some time.' 

After a few minutes, the three would head back, she said - and were immediately alarmed when the home, at this point about a block away, suddenly burst into flames. 

'The home blew,' she told the local paper.   

At the time, the Grand Island resident said, the clan were close to a house at the corner of East Street and 10th Street.

The two-bedroom home that exploded, she added, had been rental, and footage from the site shows how it was left unrecognizable by the blaze that ensued.

Separate footage from an outdoor security camera, meanwhile, captured the moment the small property's gas system triggered the explosion, where embers can be seen streaming near other properties and cars that were also damaged.

The Nebraska State Fire Marshal Agency made the determination Sunday, after a probe into the Saturday blast

They found that the tenant - a man who has yet to be named - intentionally tampered with the natural gas system in the 1032 square-foot two bedroom

Officials have confirmed the explosion killed the still-unnamed man, after it totaled his house and damaged several surrounding homes, cars, and businesses

The man's body was recovered from the basement of the residence that evening, after first-responders were filmed frantically trying to put out the fire that claimed his life

As of writing, the incident at the home on 107 E. Eleventh Street remains under investigation

A neighbor, however, said the man said to be responsible - who has yet to named - was not 'mentally well'

Photos and video further shows multiple burnt-out cars and debris strewn across the lot where the 1,032 square-foot once stood, which residents and civic servants worked relentlessly to clear Sunday.

As for the explosion, which remains under investigation, it occurred around 9:15am in Wood River - a small suburb of Grand Island.

In a statement, firefighters in the town of just over 1,000 further revealed the neighbor who Hammond spoke of alerted several other residents moments beforehand, with homeowner Markham Nichols telling The Independent how the man responsible made a strange Facebook post prior to the explosion.

Neither the timeframe or contents of that post were immediately provided, nor was the late resident's name.

When DailyMail.com reached out for comment, The Nebraska State Fire Marshal said identification of the deceased is pending by the Hall County Attorney's Office, as they work to identify his next of kin.

They also confirmed only one other person was injured as a result of the man's actions, with that resident briefly hospitalized and released later that day.

Following the explosion, firefighters 'determined the explosion/fire had also caused significant damage to surrounding structures', the agency said in another statement Sunday, revealing how they were then called to aid in local officials' investigation.

Cleanup crews and volunteers descended on the site Sunday to clear debris from the completely razed house

They worked around the basement of the savaged home, which was one of the only parts that remained intact

The evening before, firefighters found the corpse of the home's sole occupant, whom has yet to be identified but was supposedly seen with a lighter before the explosion, neighbors said

One resident recalled how the man seemed 'mentally unwell,' and how she and others smelled gasoline from the scene just before the explosion. Officials said their investigation is finished, after determining it was an intentional act of arson

Responding agencies included the Wood River Fire Department, the Alda Fire Department, the Cairo Fire Department, the Shelton Fire Department, the Grand Island Rural Fire Department, as well as officials from the Hall County Emergency Management Agency, Hall County Attorney's Office, and Hall County Sheriff's Office.

That abundance of first-responders, coupled with the unnamed neighbor's quick-thinking, resulted in an impressive response despite the situation.

'They had the scene under control pretty quick,' Wood River Fire Chief Nate Mayhew said in a statement Sunday.

He also noted how the firefighters - usually on 'offense' when fighting a fire - had to play it safer than usual due to not knowing the structural integrity of the unassuming home, which within hours was completely razed to the ground.

After that, officials who ventured in the residence came across the corpse of the tenant, who they confirmed had been alone at the time.

Then, on Sunday, officials revealed how they had 'discovered evidence [the man had been] tampering with the natural gas system in the residence.'

The fire marshal agency added" 'We would like to reiterate that this incident was not related to the natural gas utility operator and there is no ongoing threat to the public.' 

The agency has since completed its investigation. As of writing, it remains unclear if police are now probing the deceased man's actions.