An explosion in downtown Bozeman, Montana, damaged three businesses Thursday morning, but there were no immediate reports of injuries, fire officials said. Witnesses to Thursday morning's incident said at least two businesses were severely damaged in the explosion and windows of several downtown buildings were shattered by the force of the blast, the Bozeman Daily Chronicle said.

The explosion happened at about 8:15 a.m. in the 200 block of Main Street. Crews allowed the fire to burn into this afternoon because NorthWestern Energy crews were unable to completely shut off the natural gas. Winn, the former fire chief, said the rubble of the collapsed buildings was not yet safe to search.

City officials said four businesses were destroyed — a restaurant, a bar, a gallery and a children's store — as well as an American Legion building. Boodles restaurant and bar were destroyed, KBZK-TV reported. A police dispatcher said the adjacent Rockin R bar was also destroyed. Police evacuated the two blocks surrounding the businesses, housed in brick buildings. Students at the Hawthorne School in Bozeman were moved to the Bozeman Public Library due to possible air quality concerns, Superintendent Kirk Miller said early Thursday afternoon.

Bozeman is in south-central Montana, about 100 miles southeast of the state capital, Helena. City officials are investigating the possibility that a natural gas leak caused the explosion. Crews allowed the fire to burn into this afternoon because NorthWestern Energy crews were unable to completely shut off the natural gas.