2 killed in Newton County home explosion

Two people are dead after a home explosion in Newton County.

Billy Ray Alexander, 81, and Janelle Alexander, 78, were killed when their house exploded Saturday night on Chunky Duffee Road around 7 p.m., Coroner Danny Shoemaker said.

"It was a very large explosion. We have a debris field that is 360 degrees around the house and we won't know until the morning how far it extends. The house was blown completely flat," Duffee Fire Department assistant chief Irven Skinner told WTOK Saturday night. "I got here about three minutes after it exploded and it was already gone."

SEE ALSO: Elderly man critical after Amite Co. house explosion

Shoemaker said the State Fire Marshal's office was on the scene Sunday trying to determine the cause of the explosion. Skinner told reporters it's believed there was a propane leak around the fireplace.

Authorities released the Alexanders' names after a family member published the information on Facebook. They had been waiting to make sure all the family had been notified.

Contact Therese Apel at tapel@gannett.com. Follow her on Facebook and Twitter.