Authorities responded to the explosion and fire in the garage of a home in the 26800 block of Vista Del Mar in Capistrano Beach around noon. A Good Samaritan rushed into the burning home to help a 31-year-old man get out to safety.
"I ran around to the other side of the house, and I started bashing out some glass and stuff, and I got in the house," said Mark Phelps, a neighbor. "I just wanted to lead him to the front door because he was on fire. His skin was falling off."
The Orange County Fire Authority transported the burn victim to Western Medical Center in Santa Ana, where he remains in serious condition with burns to the upper body and face.
Phelps said he saw debris flying 150 feet up in the air.
"Fire was going everywhere. It was just blowing up. I mean, there was explosion after explosion and fire balls coming out," Phelps said.
The force of the explosion was enough to blow the garage door off of the home. Four homes were damaged by the fire, and windows at an apartment complex were blown out by the explosion.
The Orange County Sheriff's Department said marijuana and other evidence led investigators to believe the explosion was caused by a hash oil extraction lab. Officials say propane and butane bottles were also located in the home.
Authorities say the people who live at the home where the explosion happened run a catering business. Five people live at the home, but only one was at home at the time.
