An explosion leveled a Cicero house Saturday night.
Cicero Fire Chief Jeff Penzkofer said investigators suspect a gas leak caused the explosion around 5 p.m. in a two-story home.
The entire front of the building was blown out, and some of the bricks landed all the way across the street. At least two neighboring buildings also were damaged in the blast, CBS Chicago reported.
"Windows across the street got blown out. There's I-beams that got blown out, so it's indicating of a gas explosion," Penzkofer said.
The residents weren't home when the explosion occurred. Their cats perished.
"We were at the wedding, taking pictures at the end of the ceremony, and my daughter's friend called her. They said there was a fire, and they weren't sure whose house it was. Later, I learned the town was calling. I hadn't looked at my phone or anything," said Pauline Vrettos.
Officials said four of the families displaced are from the corner building in the 5600 block of West 22nd Place. The main entrance and some of the doors to the units were broken.