ROYSE CITY, Texas -- Five young people were hospitalized after a house exploded early Saturday morning in North Texas.

Hunt County Fire Marshal Richard Hill said the explosion was caused by a propane leak. The home is midway between Royse City and Caddo Mills, about a mile south of Interstate 30 on Farm Road 1565.

"I would say this home is totally destroyed, and it was a horrific explosion," Hill said.

Seven people were in the house when it exploded. A 16-year-old girl and four men ages 17, 18, 19 and 20 were taken by air to Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas.

The girl and one of the men had minor injuries and were released from the hospital later Saturday. Three men are in intensive care with burns on 30 to 60 percent of their bodies.

Hill said another 20-year-old man had minor cuts, and an 18-year-old woman was uninjured. An eighth person had just arrived when the house exploded, he said.

Hill said all of the windows and a couple of walls at the three-bedroom house were blown out, and all of the house's bricks were knocked off.

Hill said people should take care when using gas appliances for heat.

"I always tell people that if you notice any type of smell from the use of propane -- it has a very distinctive smell -- be sure and cut your gas off (and) call a qualified plumber to make sure that you don't have a leak," he said.

Hill said it takes very little to ignite the gas.

The family of one of the victims said someone in the house smelled gas before the explosion and asked that no one light anything. The explosion happened few moments later, the family member said.