(CNN) — Officials say a woman’s body was found on a car near the site of an explosion in a New Jersey housing development that also injured seven workers.
Lt. Ron Lunetta said officials are unable to identify the victim. He says authorities will await an autopsy for positive identification and cause of death. Officials don’t know whether the victim lived at the development.
Police say the blast happened Tuesday after a gas line was damaged by contractors who were digging in the area. At least 10 town homes were destroyed in the Trenton suburb of Ewing and 45 others damaged.
Shortly before noon, Public Service Electric & Gas workers were called to examine the gas line, according to Mike Gaffney, director of gas construction at PSE&G.
The explosion took place nearly an hour later when the PSE&G workers were attempting to repair the line, officials said. It blew out windows, caused several fires and threw debris around the housing development.
“Obviously, where it happened is devastated. I mean, it’s really bad,” Ewing Police Lt. Ron Lunetta said at a press briefing.
Seven workers were injured. Their injuries are non-life-threatening, according to Jayne O’Conner of Capital Health Medical Center.
Temporary shelter was being provided at a local fire station for people who were unable to reenter their homes, according to Ewing Township Mayor Bert Steinmann. The township is a suburb of Trenton.
By Dominique Debucquoy-Dodley and Brian Vitagliano
CNN’s Rosa Flores contributed to this report.
