One person was killed after an explosion at an oil well site in Tuscarawas County that sent flames shooting at least 50 feet in the air and sent a river of flaming oil down the side of a road.

Officials said that the victim was a 19-year-old local man. His name had not been released as of 5 p.m. pending notification of family.

The explosion happened just after 9:30 a.m. Monday about 2 miles south of Bolivar near two group homes. Both group homes were evacuated and there no residents reported injured.

Witnesses said after the well exploded, oil from it flowed down an embankment on the side of the road and then caught fire.

-RAW VIDEO: Explosion in Tuscarawas Co. (Courtesy: Nathan B. Mutschelknaus)

The property where the explosion happened is private. Investigators from the state fire marshal's office started their investigation by Monday afternoon it is not immediately clear how long it will take to determine a cause.

Along with flames spreading, people in the area also had to worry about debris falling from above. Witnesses described a sudden blast like a cannon and a ball of fire in the sky.

"Mostly all you could see was the black smoke," said Kris Kahler, who lives about 500 feet away and said the explosion shook his house.

Bolivar Fire Department Capt. Marty Huth said crews initially responded to a report of a natural gas leak in the area. Huth said after that, crews received reports of an explosion.

"Our first arriving units, before they even got here, saw the black smoke from a mile and a half away," Huth said.

Officials told NEWS9 there were two men working at the site, but one man left for another job in North Canton before the explosion happened.

"They had a trailer with the tools paint and things of that nature whatever they were using to clean the well and the one worker, which is common practice, did leave and left the other worker behind," Huth said.

According to WTOV9's news partners at The Times-Reporter, the explosion happened in the vicinity of Bolivar Group Home on State Route 212, Kingwood Drive NE and Huffman Square Northeast in Wilkshire Hills subdivision.

"I was out back, pressure washing the porch and moving some of the furniture when the ground started to shake," Nathan Mutschelknaus, an employee of Bolivar Group Home, which is owned and operated by Horizons Inc., told The Times-Reporter. "I was looking over at the oil well, wondering what was shaking. Next thing I know, I heard the loud explosion and felt the shock wave."

Workers at the group home jumped into action as soon as they heard the explosion.

Melody Alexander, director of the Bolivar Group Home, said her after the initial shock wave, which she said felt like an earthquake, her instincts kicked in.

"I went outside and we don't even know the gentleman's name, (but) somebody came up to help me and take the fire hose out back, sprayed down all the grass and what fire we could before the firemen showed up," Alexander said.

After a storage tank cover shot about 100 feet into the air, Mutschelknaus, of Dover, said. Fuel leaked down the driveway into a neighbor's field.

"The driveway all the way through the ditch into the neighbor's field was on fire," he said, explaining he saw the green cap of the oil tank land an estimated 50 yards from its original location.

The fire was under control by 11 a.m., with units from Bolivar, Mineral City, Fairfield Township, Strasburg, New Philadelphia, Magnolia and Zoar among those to respond. Hazardous materials crews were also worked to control the fuel spill, according to The Times-Reporter.

Mutschelknaus said the well and oil storage tank is about 50 yard yards north of the residential home. Of 12 residents who live at the group home, Mutschelknaus said only one was there at the time of the explosion.

"We were proud of the neighbors who tried to help us and our individuals. We didn't get their names, but we would like to graciously thank them for trying to help us," Mutschelknaus said.

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