For Ursula Weiland, a west-Knoxville resident, Wednesday morning came a little too soon when a loud noise awoke her, her husband and their 14-year-old son, at close to 3:15 a.m.  Her son described the noise as a "bang" that echoed that echoed through the house. The family assumed that the disturbance had come from within their own home and began to asses what could have caused it.

As it turns out, the noise that had startled the Weiland family had come from the Whittington Creek neighborhood almost a mile and a half away.  Where 1940 Grey Pointe Drive had once stood now laid a pile of rubble.  Dozens of fire engines from both the Knoxville Fire Dept. and Rural Metro Fire Dept. responded within minutes.

Captain Brian Chesney of Rural Metro (pictured left) later spoke to reporters.  Capt. Chesney stated that the cause was believed to be a natural gas explosion.  Two individuals, a man and women, were taken immediately from the scene to UT Medical Center.  The couple was asleep in their upstairs bedroom at the time of the explosion, and were blown from the house where they were recoverd in the back yard.  Responders said that the victims appeared to be conscious at the time.

KUB was called to the scene to shut off gas lines to the area.  An hour after the blast, the burning rubble began to subside.  Crews then began searching for a third victim.  According to Neighbors, the couple's son often stayed in the house and slept in the basement.

KnoxNews.com is reporting that a body, presumably that of the young son, has been disovered at the site.  The body has yet to be positively identified.  TNJN has received no word on the condition of either of the two victims currently being treated at UT Medical Center.