8 people, including 4 children, sent to hospital after explosion in Quebec | Globalnews.ca

An explosion in the city of Saint-Constant on Montreal's south shore has sent two families to hospital with severe burns.

According to authorities, the two families were gathered in the backyard when an explosion occurred in the garage behind them.

Around 9:40 p.m., police received 911 calls from several neighbors reporting a fire at the structure on Brayton Street.

Firefighters found victims in the front yard of the home and in a house across the street, authorities said.

Luc Lapointe, chief of operations at the Grand Seigne fire station, told Global News that all eight people had severe burns on different parts of their bodies.

Multiple ambulances were dispatched to the scene and the victims were taken to a Montreal hospital with injuries reported to be life-threatening.

The victims ranged in age from three to 45, with four of them being children.

Firefighters are still investigating the cause of the accident. Authorities said it was not yet clear whether the explosion caused the fire or the fire caused the explosion.

A small number of Hydro-Québec customers in the area were without power for more than 17 hours. The explosion destroyed the home's garage, but other buildings were not damaged.