(Reuters) - An explosion leveled a house in a Toronto suburb on Tuesday, killing one person and injuring up to nine people, local police and Canadian media said.

The cause of the explosion and the extent of injuries were not immediately known, Peel Regional police said on Twitter.

Photos posted on Twitter of the location showed a large plume of smoke rising above houses in Mississauga, just west of Toronto, while the road and roofs of neighboring houses were strewn with debris.

Police said they had set up a large perimeter and nearby homes were being evacuated. They warned the public to avoid the area.

Four houses have been affected by the explosion, CBC reported, quoting residents as saying they had heard a “loud bang” and felt the ground shake.