An explosion at Laura's Manor Apartments just before 3 p.m. sent one man to the hospital and blasted a hole through the entire building, located on Dorsett Street and Connally Drive in Douglasville.

The injured man was taken to Grady Hospital, said Matthew Kent of Douglas County Communications. No one else was injured.

Firefighters needed 20 minutes to get the blaze under control, Kent said. Five fire engines, two ladder trucks and a rescue vehicle went to the scene.

While the cause is under investigation, Atlanta Gas Light trucks were on the scene, and officials said they think gas was involved.

School was just getting out at L.W. Burnett Elementary across the street when the explosion happened. The children were taken immediately to Eastside Elementary for safety.

Velma Franklin did not witness the explosion but lives in another building in the Laura's Manor complex. She said she began smelling gas at about 9 a.m., and she and neighbors called 911 all day.

Moniqueca Walker, who was visiting Franklin, her grandmother, said she saw a man running out of the blasted building, pulling off his own skin.