A middle-aged couple and a young girl died in an overnight explosion that wrecked their home near the western German city of Cologne, rescuers said Sunday. The bodies of a man, 45, and his partner, 47, were found by rescue workers using sniffer dogs early Sunday. The man's 10-year-old daughter was found late afternoon, dpa reported. The man's 12-year-old son was injured in the blast, which occurred in Bruehl, a town on the outskirts of Cologne. Rescue workers dug the boy from the rubble with their hands after search dogs located him. It was not clear what caused the powerful explosion late Saturday. No gas was traced at the scene, and a police spokesman was at a loss to explain the possible cause. Neighbors said they heard a loud bang. By the time they looked out of the window, the semi-detached house had already collapsed, and the street was covered in debris.
