1 dead, 3 injured in explosion and fire at house linked to drug trade

A 40-year-old man and a dog died Saturday night in an explosion and fire at a Prince George house linked to the drug trade, RCMP say.

Three other men were also taken to hospital afterthehouse on Chilako Drive was engulfed in flames within minutes.

Nearby homes were evacuated and billowing smoke was visible from blocks away.

"It's believed everyone made it out," said RCMP Cpl Craig Douglass.

Douglass says the men inside, and the address, were well known to police.

"They have had police attention in the past ...predominately to do with the drug trade," said Douglass.

Men may have been handling gasoline

Witnessesand video evidence suggest the men injured or killed had beenhandling large quantities of gasoline before the explosion, police say.

RCMP fire investigatorsandthe Forensic Identification Servicewere still at the scene on Tuesday.Police tape surrounded thecharred house and a blackened car.Aheavy equipment operator was starting to demolish what remained.

Officials are still trying to determine the cause of the blastand whether it was criminal in nature.