Wrecking crews have begun tearing down the remains of a home that was destroyed following a deadly explosion in Elizabeth.

Investigators were on scene while wrecking crews began working on the rubble Thursday. The pile will be taken apart carefully to make sure no other people or animals are trapped inside. Appliances will also need to be separated so investigators can figure out how the explosion happened.

Neighbors tell News 12 New Jersey that they reported the smell of gas hours before the explosion occurred. The family that owns the home that exploded says that a tenant notified Elizabethtown Gas.

"[The tenant] said she called the gas company and they came over and they saw the house ... and they looked at everything and everything was fine," says Eliel Brito.

A spokesman for Elizabethtown Gas Company would not confirm to News 12 New Jersey if a crew was in fact sent to investigate before the explosion.

One person was killed in the blast and two others are in the burn unit at Saint Barnabas Medical Center. 

Nearly 50 people are displaced. The Red Cross tells News 12 New Jersey that it is assisting 23 families. The organization is providing emergency assistance, including temporary lodging, food and clothing. Counseling services will also be provided.