TRACY, Minn. — A mother and three children were injured when their house exploded over the weekend in southwestern Minnesota.

Neighbor Matt Schons said he saw the mother right after Saturday morning’s explosion in Tracy, and he said she told him it happened when she went to light her cigarette.

“All of a sudden, boof! Just engulfed in flames,” he quoted her as saying.

Schons and his wife, Sheena Schons, told WCCO-TV they were awoken by glass shattering and looked out the window and saw their neighbor’s living room was ablaze.

Sheena Schons called 911. Matt Schons saw the 7-year-old daughter run out the front door screaming for help and he ran over. He then saw the mother, Sonia Timmons, run out clutching her 2-year-old daughter.