Man's body found in wreckage of home explosion near Eveleth

EVELETH - A body was found Tuesday in the wreckage of a home that exploded early Monday along U.S. Highway 53 south of Eveleth, authorities said.

Initial reports were that the home was unoccupied at the time of the explosion and that no one had been injured.

But "after further investigation into the house explosion ... with the use of heavy equipment for excavation purposes, the body of an unknown male was located in the debris of the residence," the St. Louis County Sheriff's Office reported Tuesday.

The identification of the body is pending an autopsy, authorities said.

Earlier Tuesday, the Sheriff's Office issued a news release seeking the public's help in locating a vulnerable adult -- a 26-year-old man -- who had been missing from another nearby home since 10 p.m. Sunday, about three hours before the explosion.

As of Tuesday night, authorities did not know if the body found in the wreckage was that of the missing man.

The explosion remains under investigation by the Sheriff's Office and the State Fire Marshal.