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3 killed in Garfield Heights house explosion, Ohio Fire Marshal confirms

Officials say the bodies of two men and one woman were pulled from the rubble. Their identities have not yet been released.

GARFIELD HEIGHTS, Ohio — *EDITOR'S NOTE: The above video is from our a June 13 update aired on 3News "What's Next"

The Ohio Fire Marshal confirms three people are dead following a house explosion in Garfield Heights that left a home almost completely destroyed.

The explosion took place on the 4900 block of East 81st Street just after 6:30 p.m. Saturday. Multiple area fire crews were called in to help at the scene, including Garfield Heights, Maple Heights, and others.

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Three people remained unaccounted for as of Saturday night, but officials reported Sunday that the bodies of two adult men and one adult woman were later pulled from the rubble. They have since been identified as 64-year-old Donald Malinowski, 57-year-old Gerald Bateman, and 37-year-old Cassandra Bateman.

The exact cause of the explosion remains under investigation. Crews from the State Fire Marshal's office, the Garfield Heights Fire Department, and Dominion Energy remain at the scene.

A fundraiser has been set up for the Bateman family. Click here to donate.

There were accounts by several neighbors multiple houses away who said they felt their houses shake when the explosion took place. Neighbors shared with 3News video footage of what their Ring Doorbell captured during the aftermath of the blast. 

Stay with 3News for more updates on this story as more information is released.

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