A house was obliterated and a man was critically injured in an explosion in Piscataway early Sunday morning.

The incident happened around 4 a.m. on Hopkinson Avenue.

The entire two-story home was blown off its foundation and destroyed.

Brian Wahler, mayor of Piscataway, says a man in his 50s who lived in the home was inside at the time of the explosion and suffered second-degree burns. He was airlifted to Saint Barnabas Medical Center and is in critical condition.

"It's fortunate that the individual is alive," said Wahler. "If you look at the scope of the damage that was done here, it's amazing that somebody could actually live through this." 

Wahler says the explosion shot debris into nearby homes and into the street. Neighbors as far as a mile away say they heard and felt the blast. 

The mayor says early indicators suggest the cause of the explosion was a gas leak, but an official cause has yet to be determined.

News 12 is told that nearby roads will be closed until late Sunday evening, as cleanup can't start until detectives clear out.