May 31 (UPI) -- A landslide in western North Carolina caused a gas leak that collapsed a home and killed two people, police said Thursday.
Heavy rains tied to the remnants of Subtropical Storm Alberto caused the landslide Wednesday. The Boone Police Department said the landslide hit a single-family dwelling, resulting in "catastrophic destruction of the structure from a gas leak."
Firefighters found two victims while searching in the rubble, police said. There were no other occupants of the structure. The department had not released their names by midday Thursday.
The Watauga County Sheriff's Office is investigating the incident, police said.
The heavy rains have caused flooding, mudslides and landslides in western North Carolina areas in the past couple days, prompting Gov. Roy Cooper to declare a state of emergency, WBTV reported.
"Our emergency response and transportation crews have been working through the night to keep North Carolinians safe as conditions deteriorate," Cooper said in a statement Wednesday. "But this storm isn't yet over. I'm urging people to keep a close eye on forecasts and flood watches, and asking drivers to use caution especially when traveling in our western counties."
